Quote of the Week: "Stewart Airport may not be in New Jersey, but New Jersey needs this bill," said New Jersey Assemblyman Gary Schaer, D-Passaic commenting on New Jersey legislature vote for bi-state Port Authority agency to build "4th major N.Y. City airport in New York

Aviation Conspiracy Newsletter #420.........................................................................March 18,  2007 Past newsletters can be accessed at: http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/ACNewsmenu.htm  The PASSUR airport flight tracking system at many major U.S. airports  http://www.passur.com/sites.htm (you must have Java installed to view it). If you want to get the newsletter sent to you every week, sign up to AviationWatch. Bill Mulcahy rockaway@prodigy.net

"New Jersey" Approves A New York Airport?

As Bill Sees It: (Editorial): "New Jersey" Legislature Gives OK To Create Major Airport In NEW YORK!!! A strange thing happened this week; the New Jersey legislature approved of the building of a major airport in New York!!! The reason this happened is that the "agency" that wants to take over the small, private upstate New York Stewart Airport is a strange bi-state organization. The Port Authority was created because many year's ago there were many problems with projects in the Port of New York area that needed New Jersey approval. It was felt that a combined political "authority" could bypass many of the New York and New Jersey laws that were in conflict and preventing construction of needed projects. Bypassing state and local laws is what the Port Authority buying the Stewart Airport lease is really all about. Powerful forces are secretly at work rushing to convert a small, privately owned airport into a giant, 1000 plus planes-a-day, "4th major N.Y. City area airport!!!" I wonder why more people aren't suspicious of just how quickly the bi-state Port Authority of New York and New Jersey takeover of the Stewart Airport lease is taking place. That alone should have been a sign that this is a shady deal. Look how long it takes ANYTHING else to work its way through the bureaucracy, yet see how rapidly this project is being rammed through. It's even worse than most of the aviation industry's atrocity's. All of these decisions are being made at secret meetings behind closed doors with the project's  future victims having no input at all. New Jersey Bill Also Authorizes New Port Authority Airport In NEW JERSEY!!! I just came across a phrase in a news story about the New Jersey legislature's authorizing the Port Authority to takeover Stewart Airport. It said the bill also said it authorized the Port Authority "to buy or build two new airports _ one in each state _ outside the agency's district, which extends for a 25-mile radius from the Statue of Liberty." That's not going to go over big with a lot of New Jersey people. New Jersey already has a lot of angry people who don't like airports and airplanes. Governor Corzine could be signing his political death warrant with voters. New Jersey voters, many of whom are fed up with aviation pollution, may not buy FAA and Port Authority hype that this will "relieve" their other airports of congestion. They will see it for what it really means...more planes over New Jersey. "Environmentalist" Congressmen Meet With Businessmen, Not The Public!!! It's amazing how politicians, like Congressmen Hinchey and Hall (pictured on the left), who bill themselves as great environmentalists, are promoting this environmental disaster at various meetings with businessmen. These democrat members of the "party of the people" don't bother to have meetings with the public.!!! Only a week ago con man Rep. Hinchey proposed a law restricting snowmobiles because of the noise in Yellowstone National Park. At the same time, he is pushing for a giant airport hub that will severely impact his constituents with night and day noise!!! One newspaper even displayed a "poll" asking "what is the best thing about the Port Authority operating Stewart Airport." When I contacted them as to why this "daily" poll was being displayed for weeks, they said it was a mistake and removed it. They gave no answer to my query as to why they didn't ask what was the "worst" thing about the Port Authority operation Stewart Airport. Port Authority And Politicians Terrorizing The Press? Hall, Hichey and the Port Authority are running around having meetings with various local chambers of commerce as part of what I believe is a effort to influence the local newspapers. The  congresscreeps and the Port Authority know that newspapers depend heavily on advertising revenue to survive. I believe they are trying to make it look like the air cargo hub project has the support of the local business community in order to intimidate the newspaper owners into being afraid to criticize it. So far this tactic has been working. What little news coverage about this major story has been reported has been mostly pro-takeover. However, I think the full magnitude of this project is starting to dawn on a lot of people, including local newspapers and businessmen, and they are starting to have second thoughts about the Stewart Airport takeover. Airline Passengers Stranded On Planes For Hours...Again!!! A see stories this week that the airlines are still stranding people on planes for hours. Whatever ever happened to the Passenger Bill of Rights that congress was talking about last snowstorm? Once again the congresscreeps listened only to their airline industry contributers (AKA bribers). One thing that should be added is a provision to get rid of the first class seats, so all passengers can suffer equally. Why are buses classless, but planes aren't?

New Jersey Legislature Approves Airport For New York!!! TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey lawmakers voted Thursday to give the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey permission to buy Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, N.Y., to ease congestion in the New York City region's skies and airports. The Assembly voted 60-18 to give final legislative approval to the deal.  Gov. Jon S. Corzine (pictured at right)  has said he will sign the bill. "The purchase of Stewart airport is a vital initiative for our region's transportation infrastructure," Corzine spokesman Brendan Gilfillan said. The Port Authority plans a $78.5 million, 93-year lease of the airport 60 miles north of New York and hopes to take over operations by October. The legislation matches New Jersey law with New York law to authorize the Port Authority to buy or build two new airports _ one in each state _ outside the agency's district, which extends for a 25-mile radius from the Statue of Liberty. Port Authority officials have said they have no plans to open a new airport in New Jersey, but bill foes raised concerns about that Thursday. http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--stewartairport0315mar15,0,675126.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey  N.J. Gov. Corzine Questioned About Gifts To His "Paramour!!!" N.J. Governor Corzine wants Trenton insiders to come clean on all their personal dealings with government contractors, campaign donors and anybody else who might influence state business. Just don't ask him how much money he gave to onetime paramour Carla Katz, the very visible and very influential president of a state workers union. http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDk2MDU4JnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg== 

Tinicum, Delaware: Politicians Posture And Community Screams While FAA Plots Airspace Redesign!!!

England: Friends Of The Earth Wants People To Sign A Pledge To Resist Airport Expansion: Friends of the Earth has joined with other leading environmental organisations to launch the Airport Pledge - asking the public to join our campaign to resist airport expansion. The anti-airport expansion pledge is being backed by Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, People and Planet, Rising Tide and Transport 2000, together with local protest group HACAN ClearSkies. Anyone concerned about airport expansion is invited to sign up, pledging themselves to take personal action to resist airport expansion. Personal action could include anything from letter writing to participating in mass protests. Tens of thousands of people are expected to sign up - sending a strong message to Ministers that they won't be able to proceed with their airport expansion plans unchallenged. The pledge is a response to the Government's Aviation White Paper launched in December 2003.

Hazelton, Pennsylvania: Many Skeptical Over Creation Of Air Cargo Airport:   Speakers at a raucous hearing Wednesday voiced a variety of concerns and angry complaints about a proposed $1.6 billion cargo airport outside Hazleton. One man said the cargo airport would “attract possible terrorists.” Other complaints were about noise, traffic, developing open space and ruining quality of life. The Luzerne County commissioners in January voted to hold a hearing on creating a new county authority to run the proposed cargo airport. An ordinance to create a new authority was drafted and circulated last week, but the commissioners didn’t vote on it during their meeting, which immediately followed Wednesday’s hearing. “We have a lot of information to absorb,” Commissioner Chairman Greg Skrepenak said after the meeting. Twenty-eight people signed up to speak. The hearing was slated to end at 5 p.m., and while it ran long, just 20 people had time to speak.
Three spoke in favor and 16 spoke against. http://www.citizensvoice.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18081558&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=571464&rfi=6 

Wallkill, New York: Mad at stunt fliers!!! (Letter to the editor) I hope you have the time to take a chair and go sit at the Sullivan County airport and hear the DROOMING hour after hour of those stunt planes. I live next to the old Galeville Airport that was used for the same activities and it was hour after hour of the deafening noise. Many a day I was inside my home with the windows closed on the telephone to the FAA and they could hear the planes as if they were here next to me. This activity is not a half-hour deal; it is kamikaze-style flying hour after hour, sometimes from a.m. to p.m. and any holiday. I pay a major amount of taxes, and why should I be terrorized by someone else's hobby? Please bear in mind that this is not the taking off and landing of airplanes, which we didn't object to, but the nuisance noise of hobbyists — let them do it above their own homes and see how long their wives, parents, children, etc., are happy. Linda Meyer http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070316/OPINION/703160302/-1/OPINION03 

FAA: Crowded Skies Mean More Airport Delays:

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Important Aviation News Stories This Week

N.J. lawmakers give go-head to Port Authority's takeover of Stewart

Trenton, N.J. — The state Legislature has authorized the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to proceed with its proposed takeover of Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, N.Y.

The Legislature's incremental action culminated last night with the Assembly's 60-18 approval of a bill that permits the Port Authority to operate an additional existing airport in each state as designated by the respective governor.

New York passed the same legislation 40 years ago but New Jersey, for reasons lost to time, never got around to it.

"We're very pleased that they moved this essential legislation through so quickly," said Port Authority spokesman Marc La Vorgna yesterday.

The Senate, where the legislation originated, approved the bill unanimously on Feb. 22. The Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee endorsed it on Feb. 26. Now, the bill goes to N.J. Gov. Jon Corzine who has said he will sign it.

Assembly members and senators who represent the communities that are home to the Port Authority's Newark Liberty and Teterboro airports rallied around the Stewart plan when it surfaced in January.

"Any steps that can be taken to reduce air traffic over Bergen County and the rest of North Jersey should be embraced wholeheartedly," said Assemblyman Gary Schaer, one of four co-sponsors of the bill. "Providing relief to residents concerned about noise levels and safety stemming from Teterboro is a no-brainer."

Meanwhile, La Vorgna said the Port Authority was making steady progress toward its goal of taking over the airport from National Express Corp. in October. The Port Authority is paying the British company $78.5 million for the remaining 93 years of its lease to operate Stewart. "The deal's in place but there's a lot of lawyering, a lot of punch list items to work through, before we have a final contract," La Vorgna said.

Port Authority staff has already surveyed the 2,400-acre airport to confirm the property lines and is now working with the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration and New York State Department of Transportation on the other approvals it needs to assume operation of Stewart. The FAA, for example, has to dissolve the test program that allowed National Express to become the first private operator of a U.S. airport and then certify that the Port Authority is qualified to run Stewart. The TSA has to sign off on a new security plan and the DOT, which will continue to own Stewart, has to sign off on the sale of the lease.

Stewart plans still up in the air

Now that New Jersey has given the final official approval for the Port Authority to take over Stewart Airport, attention needs to turn to the exciting possibilities and not-so-exciting possibilities of this inevitable evolutionary step.

Here's what we know:

Stewart handled about 300,000 passengers last year, and figures from the first two months of this year show traffic triple the dismal figures from 2006. Since it began passenger service in 1990, traffic reached a high of 800,000 and Port Authority projections anticipate that it could handle up to 1.5 million. The Port Authority is interested in finding ways to handle more cargo traffic, a development that could bring lots of jobs to this region along with lots of industrial traffic. Earlier stories also hinted that discount airlines could be concentrated at Stewart, providing more flights to some locations but not the variety of destinations now available at the other metro airports. A rail connection is kind of like the weather — everybody is talking about it but nobody has done anything yet. Money to improve commuter service has lots of support, which could help fund and build a proposed link from Salisbury Mills to Stewart. In Newburgh, a more radical rail idea has floated up — connect Stewart by rail to downtown, thus to the ferry across the river to the more frequent trains in Beacon. Plans that already were being studied before the Port Authority takeover included a new terminal and lengthening the shorter runway, giving the airport two runways capable of handling very large planes. Getting to Stewart from Interstate 84 will be much easier with the completion of the Drury Lane interchange, but more work needs to be done to make it easier for people on the Thruway to get to the airport. Port Authority projections have the metro airports at full capacity in 15 years, indicating that the changes to Stewart will take place over that time as well.

What we do not know is how the Port Authority will decide among these options, how it will calculate the local effects and how it will include local people in the decisions. Now that it controls the airport, we need to know more about the Port Authority's plans.