skymama 37 #1 May 27, 2010 Nice! http://www.beacononlinenews.com/news/daily/2671 After learning it will cost more than they thought to put up an air traffic control tower on the DeLand Municipal Airport, city commissioners have nixed the project. After less than an hour of discussion at a special meeting that began at 6 p.m. today, May 26, at City Hall, the City Commission voted unanimously to postpone the project for the near future. Fear that the tower would eat up all city monies targeted for airport improvements — and then some — spurred the vote. City Manager Michael Pleus pointed out the city would need to borrow $350,000 to obtain a grant for construction of the control tower from the Florida Department of Transportation. A site behind the Airport Restaurant & Gin Mill had been selected for the tower. "I can't see coming to you with the recommendation to fund the money," Pleus said. Neither could City Engineer Keith Riger. The best-guess estimate for the cost of the tower was $1.76 million. Operating and maintenance costs would be added to that. The decision not to build a tower to regulate traffic on the airport comes as a relief to DeLand's skydiving industry. Industry representatives have told the DeLand City Commission repeatedly that a tower could cripple their businesses, by slowing takeoffs and landings at the airport. The city will revisit the tower topic in two to four years, Pleus said, after another review of the airport master plan. Whether state grant money will be available then to help fuel the project is not known.She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpwally 0 #2 May 27, 2010 Very Nice..... smile, be nice, enjoy life FB # - 1083 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matthewcline 0 #3 May 27, 2010 Awesome! Matt An Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #4 May 27, 2010 good..... seems to me, that the airport, has done Just Fine..... for all these years... hell.. all these DECADES.. without a tower!!!..."if it ain't Broke.. Don't fix it"..A tower could have really complicated things there... jmy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egloskerry 0 #5 May 27, 2010 Sure, it could've crippled Skydive Deland, but it would've really helped BASE Deland... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skydave103 0 #6 May 27, 2010 Thats good news! I doubt you could have jumped off of it. They one in Atlanta you could! "an impressive 398 feet, the new air traffic control tower that accompanies the “Most Important Runway in America,” is the tallest in North America and a site to behold!" I "heard" someone did jump it when it was still under construction.LifeshouldNOTbeajourneytothegravewithawellpreservedbody,buttskidinsideways,cigarinone hand,martiniintheother,bodythoroughlyused upandscreaming:"WOO HOO!! What a ride!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egloskerry 0 #7 May 27, 2010 Lol just a joke. I look forward to meeting skymama after I get my A. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #8 May 27, 2010 The one in ATL is really nice on the inside too, its got a great view of the airport and downtown. If they had built one in Deland i doubt it would have been over 125 feet, but the one in ATL overlooks a nice empty tarmac where they put the BA planes while waiting on gates to open so its a nice landing area Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #9 May 27, 2010 Quote seems to me, that the airport, has done Just Fine..... for all these years... hell.. all these DECADES.. without a tower!!!... "if it ain't Broke.. Don't fix it".. The whole movement to install a tower there was in response to an accident, which was perceived by some as avoidable if a tower had been present and in charge of air traffic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akarunway 1 #10 May 27, 2010 Quote Nice! http://www.beacononlinenews.com/news/daily/2671 After learning it will cost more than they thought to put up an air traffic control tower on the DeLand Municipal Airport, city commissioners have nixed the project. After less than an hour of discussion at a special meeting that began at 6 p.m. today, May 26, at City Hall, the City Commission voted unanimously to postpone the project for the near future. Fear that the tower would eat up all city monies targeted for airport improvements — and then some — spurred the vote. City Manager Michael Pleus pointed out the city would need to borrow $350,000 to obtain a grant for construction of the control tower from the Florida Department of Transportation. A site behind the Airport Restaurant & Gin Mill had been selected for the tower. "I can't see coming to you with the recommendation to fund the money," Pleus said. Neither could City Engineer Keith Riger. The best-guess estimate for the cost of the tower was $1.76 million. Operating and maintenance costs would be added to that. The decision not to build a tower to regulate traffic on the airport comes as a relief to DeLand's skydiving industry. Industry representatives have told the DeLand City Commission repeatedly that a tower could cripple their businesses, by slowing takeoffs and landings at the airport. The city will revisit the tower topic in two to four years, Pleus said, after another review of the airport master plan. Whether state grant money will be available then to help fuel the project is not known. Great news. I love that DZ.I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DBCOOPER 5 #11 May 27, 2010 "The Perfect Spot Gin Mill" Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timbre 0 #12 May 28, 2010 Forgive my ignorance here -- but why would adding a tower have such a negative impact on skydiving operations? What issues does a tower cause? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,032 #13 May 28, 2010 QuoteForgive my ignorance here -- but why would adding a tower have such a negative impact on skydiving operations? What issues does a tower cause? A tower is rather like traffic lights at an intersection. If it's really busy, a tower (and traffic lights) help with the flow, but if it isn't busy (and Deland isn't) it just adds unnecessary delay.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egloskerry 0 #14 May 28, 2010 That makes sense. You have to check with ATC before takeoff instead of just going. I think at a sleepy airport, it's pretty easy to see someone else on the same runway, or someone on final. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
