Well said, I totally agree!


I am a CFIG and Commercial Power pilot who has flown from Cal City as an instructor, tug pilot, and private glider pilot continuously since 1989. The status quo operation there is safe and sane, as evidenced by 50 YEARS of incident and accident-free glider operations. Back in the early 1990's, the airport was a veritable aerial rodeo: Dozens of gliders, 2-3 tugs, Folland Gants doing high speed passes, two skydiving operations, and a plethora of general aviation traffic. And No Significant Safety Issues!

CalCity Airport is essentially a ghost town today: No warbirds, no skydiving ops, no general aviation traffic. You could sleep on the runway most days, save the launching of a half dozen gliders on good days. What exactly is endangered by the status quo operation methods? The aircraft junk yard? The new kitty litter factory? Tumbleweeds rolling down the ramp? Coyotes?

As others have stated, FAA studied the situation in years past and found it to be safe. So much so that it suggested that CalCity be used as a model for other airports. For those 50 YEARS, CalTrans has allowed three operators to use the status quo mode of operation. Maybe class-action lawsuit against CalTrans for risking my life for the last 50 YEARS?

The current attempted ban all in the name of "safety" is just one more case of governmental overreaching in the name of protecting us from ourselves. That the CalTrans representative is factually wrong and unwilling to discuss this with outside parties is completely telling and absolutely wreaks of external agendas and governmental hubris.

As the motorglider pilot stated at the end of his article in Soaring, outlining air-air combat with a FL State Trooper, "We are the Government, We Do What We Want.

Indeed.