CALIFORNIA PILOTS ASSOCIATION
October 11, 2004
FAX TRANSMISSION
Mr. Clyde Morris
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex
P.O. Box 524
Newark, CA 94560
Re: Inner Bair Island Restoration and Management Plan, DEIS/EIR Dear Mr. Morris:
The California Pilots Association supports Alternative A: Tidal Marsh Restoration and Moderate Public Access for Inner Bair Island. This Alternative would assist in the preservation of San Carlos Airport as a safe and efficient part of the transportation system.
San Carlos Airport is the region?s on-ramp and off-ramp for the nation?s aerial highways. It is included by the Federal Aviation Administration in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. It is a designated reliever airport for small aircraft that would otherwise create congestion landing at San Francisco International Airport.
The runway protection zone (RPZ) is designed to protect pilots and passengers from structures or other hazards while in flight. It is also designed to provide a relatively safe touch down area in the event a pilot should be forced to make an off airport landing. The design calls for excluding or limiting the number of persons in the RPZ who would be exposed to injury in the event of an off airport landing.
We are concerned that any access to Inner Bair Island from the San Carlos Airport area would jeopardize persons using the access route as well as persons using the airport.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this very important plan.
Yours truly
Jay C. White, President
