THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2015 NORTH COAST 3A Gearhart neighbors say biplane too noisy Biplane activity sparks conversation about FAA rules By KATHERINE LACAZE EO Media Group SEASIDE — Jim Grant’s biplane offers residents and visitors alike the chance to survey the surrounding sce- nic area from a rare, bird’s- eye view in an open cockpit. During the summer, Grant, of Portland, provides custom scenic flights from the publicly owned Seaside Municipal Airport, located on Seaside property sur- rounded by the city of Gear- hart off U.S. Highway 101. Two passengers — he will take anyone ages “4 to 94” — can ride the biplane at one time. “I’ve had a lot of peo- ple come who like having it here,” Grant said. “It’s a sum- mertime activity that’s been traditional since the 1920s.” %XW *UDQW¶V À\RYHUV DUH riling local residents who feel the operation is too noisy, in- terferes with wildlife habitat and creates a safety hazard, especially in light of a 2008 Gearhart crash of a small SODQHWKDWNLOOHG¿YHSHRSOH Mayor Dianne Widdop addressed the topic at a Gear- hart City Council meeting earlier this month. Widdop, who sits on Seaside’s Airport Committee, said residents ZKRVHQHLJKERUKRRGVKHÀLHV over are concerned about safety, wildlife intrusion and especially the noise. “I’ve heard from people RQ P\ VWUHHW ZKHUH KH ÀLHV over, the estuary front on Lit- tle Beach, on Nita and Ocean Avenue,” Widdop said. “The complaints have been with the noise, and it’s annoying to everyone.” Wildlife, air safety are concerns Grant’s routes vary. The “Seaside Intro” tour covers Seaside, the Cove, the mouth of the Necanicum River, Gearhart and the golf cours- es. Another, the “Seaside Plus,” climbs to a higher al- titude for a more panoramic view of the Columbia Riv- er, Astoria and more. Other ÀLJKWV*UDQWVDLGJRIDUWKHU up the coast and get cheaper by the minute. They hit land- marks such as Fort Stevens, the south shore of the Colum- bia River and two lighthous- es by Ilwaco, Wash. Some of *UDQW¶V URXWHV DOVR À\ RYHU the Gearhart Ocean State Park. The Necanicum Estuary is a wildlife reserve the Audu- bon Society of Portland has designated an important bird area. It provides habitat for western snowy plovers, bald eagles, Calidris sandpipers, semipalmated plovers, small numbers of whimbrel and occasionally long-billed cur- lews. Gearhart resident John Dudley, who lives on Little %HDFK'ULYHVDLGÀLJKWVRYHU the wildlife reserve are “the major concern.” “It is fright- Buoy 10 hatchery-only The Daily Astorian Stick to hatchery salmon, as of today. To continue the Buoy 10 salmon fishery through Labor Day, state managers limited catch- es to hatchery adipose fin-clipped salmon. Recreational fishers are quickly approach- ing their share of the salmon run, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reported, and the changes should help extend Buoy 10 through Sept. 7 as scheduled. The state reported 18,600 Chinook kept during 46,600 angler trips through Aug. 20. The limits starting today are as follows: • Through Sept. 7, only adipose fin-clipped Chinook may be re- tained. • The overall dai- ly bag limit is still two adult hatchery salmon or steelhead, in combina- tion. Only one may be a Chinook. All wild steel- head, coho, and Chinook salmon must be released. • All jack salmon caught between Tongue Point and Buoy 10 must be released through Sept. 30. • Anglers may trans- port unclipped Chinook salmon caught in adja- cent fisheries, such as the Pacific Ocean or the Columbia River above Tongue Point, through the Buoy 10 area. But they cannot fish in Buoy 10 with an unclipped salmon on board. All Chinook salmon retention in the Buoy 10 area is scheduled to close Sept. 8 through Sept. 30. Managers will monitor the fishery, and an earlier closure is pos- sible if effort and har- vest rates continue to be high. State managers are predicting over half a million coho will be re- turning to the mouth of the Columbia. From Sept. 8 through Sept. 30, the fishery closes to Chinook salm- on, but fishers may keep a daily limit of two hatchery coho salmon. From Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, anglers can catch Chi- nook and hatchery coho, with a daily limit of two. W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 ening to think of those birds colliding with the plane,” he said. In September 2004, the Federal Aviation Administra- tion issued an advisory that encouraged pilots making ÀLJKWV QHDU QRLVHVHQVLWLYH DUHDVWRÀ\DWDOWLWXGHVKLJK- er than those permitted by regulation to reduce aircraft noise. 7KH DGYLVRU\¶V GH¿QLWLRQ of “noise-sensitive” areas included parks, recreational areas, wildlife refuges and cultural and historical sites where “a quiet setting is a generally recognized feature or attribute.” The background for the policy is that “excessive air- craft noise can result in an- noyance, inconvenience or interference with the uses and enjoyment of property, and can adversely affect wildlife,” according to the FAA. To reduce bird strike risks, the Aeronautical Information Manual states pilots should ³DYRLG RYHUÀLJKW RI NQRZQ areas of bird concentration DQG À\LQJ DW ORZ DOWLWXGHV during bird migration. Chart- ed wildlife refuges and other natural areas contain unusu- ally high local concentration of birds which may create a hazard to aircraft.” Neighbors have cited gen- eral safety as another concern. Brian Fennerty, a former U.S. Airways pilot who also lives near Little Beach, said he was most alarmed about safety. “He’s well below what we FRQVLGHU D VDIH ÀLJKW SDWK´ Fennerty said. “If you talk to than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure. “That’s what I go at,” *UDQW VDLG DGGLQJ KLV ÀLJKW patterns are “perfectly legal.” FAA regulations do not prescribe minimum altitudes for takeoff and landing. Grant said he descends at a height that allows him to spot elk, pedestrians and other safety hazards on the landing strip. He carries a radio with him, although it’s not a require- ment, he said. He said he doesn’t believe KLVÀLJKWVGLVWXUEZLOGOLIH “It’s not a fast airplane,” he said. “It’s loud, so a bird can hear it coming.” He is only aware of one person who has expressed concern, and he described her as a “NIMBY” — an acronym Following the rules for “Not In My Back Yard” Grant said his safety re- used to describe someone cord is clean, and he conducts who opposes an activity only KLV ÀLJKWV E\ WKH ERRN +H as it personally affects them. said he travels no more than a Otherwise, Grant added, 25-mile radius, the legal limit, he feels the community is sup- DQGKDVDUHFRUGRIVDIHÀLJKW portive, as his local business going back several decades. makes use of the airport. According to the FAA, The Facebook page for biplanes must adhere to the -LP¶V %LSODQH 5LGHV LV ¿OOHG same general restrictions as with enthusiastic remarks other aircraft. Over any con- from passengers. “This was gested area of a city, town or an experience that I’ll never settlement or over an open forget,” one wrote. air assembly of persons, an “Great adventure, fantastic aircraft must maintain an al- pilot and tons of fun,” wrote titude of 1,000 feet above the another. highest obstacle within a hori- Reaching a compromise zontal radius of 2,000 feet. “This is an issue where you Over “other congested ar- realize everybody probably eas,” an aircraft must maintain has a perspective that is really an altitude of 500 feet above different,” Fennerty said. the surface, except over open He and Gearhart’s Dudley water or sparsely populated both said they respect Grant areas. In that case, the aircraft has a business and wants it to may not be operated closer EHSUR¿WDEOH pilots, the higher up you are when something goes wrong, the longer you have to cor- rect it. He has no buffer for an emergency. None. Zero.” Gearhart residents clear- ly remember the morning of Aug. 4, 2008, when a sin- gle-engine plane crashed into a home at 398 N. Marion St., killing the pilot, his passen- ger and three children in the house. Three other people, including two children, went to a burn center with injuries. “It still brings back some very raw emotions,” Dudley said of the crash. Widdop agreed. “You can’t imagine, unless you were here,” she said. “For a long time after, you would just shake if you heard a plane.” “I don’t think the neigh- borhood is against someone À\LQJRYHULW´)HQQHUW\VDLG adding they are aware they live near an airport. :LWK ÀLJKWV VRPHWLPHV occurring upward of a dozen times per day, however, they wonder if something could be done to mitigate the noise pol- lution and safety risk. They VXJJHVWHGVROXWLRQVOLNHÀ\LQJ at a higher altitude and taking DGLIIHUHQWÀLJKWSDWK “I would like to know what latitude there is,” Dudley said in regards to Grant making a steeper descent from a higher altitude. “It seems to be do- able in terms of other aircraft we’ve seen approaching the airport and making a steeper incline into the landing path.” He also would prefer if Grant could vary his routes more so the same people and areas wouldn’t be continually affected by the noise pollu- tion. A member of the Seaside Airport Committee, Wid- dop said she talked to Grant about elevation, frequency and safety. “His attitude was, ‘This is the way it is.’ I sug- gested there might be more runs over Seaside and few- er over Gearhart. He wasn’t taken with that. And there’s nothing we can do. His alti- tude is legal, his biplane is older and it makes noise, so I guess all we can do is wait until Labor Day.” Widdop said it would be EHQH¿FLDOWRKDYHDFRQYHUVD- tion addressing the question, “What can be done so it’s a win-win situation for every- one?” Cyclists honored by — and for — veterans By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian When Bryce Nurding start- ed organizing his cross-country bicycling fundraiser nearly two years ago, he said many doubted it would happen. He advertised the ride at the high school, and recruited senior Ryan Tallman and junior Jonathan Williams. On Saturday, less than a ZHHN DIWHU ¿QLVKLQJ WKHLU ULGH from the Peter Iredale shipwreck to the Hudson River in New York City, the three cyclists and Boy Scouts sat in Clatsop Post 12 of the American Legion, re- ceiving several rounds of con- gratulations from some of the highest echelons of the Ameri- can Legion, along with parents, friends and local politicians. Nurding, Tallman, Williams and Don Child, a former Viet- nam infantry medic from Ha- waii, left the Peter Iredale ship- wreck June 15. They rode 3,521 miles through 12 states, dipping their wheels in the Hudson Riv- er Aug. 15 after riding into New York City with a police escort. Along the way, they raised about $20,000 for Operation Comfort Warriors, a veterans support group operated by the legion. The group doubled their fund- raising goal and made it across Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian From left, Bryce Nurding, Jonathan Williams and Ryan Tallman went through several rounds of congrat- ulations and photo shoots Saturday at Clatsop Post 12 of the American Legion. the U.S. within three days of their original schedule. “You have put service to oth- ers above your own interests,” said state Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, who spoke Sat- urday along with Astoria Mayor Arline LaMear and others. Support from American Legion Nurding’s event would not have been as successful, he said, without the support of the legion, friends and fam- ily. The group raised about $3,000 from local businesses and individuals, and the trip was sponsored by American Legion posts across the coun- try. Aug ust 27 th 1 PM o r 6 PM CON CEAL CONCEAL CARRY CARRY PERM IT PERMIT CLASS CLASS Oregon – O rego n 34 - U States tah Utah - Valid Valid 35 States It was Nurding, an Eagle 6FRXW ¿WQHVV HQWKXVLDVW DQG overall high achiever, who originated the idea and assem- bled the equipment lists, con- tacts, route maps, lodgings, locales, mileage and more. He was inspired for the ride by the Lucky 13 crew of scouts who cycled from Maryland to Seaside, raising money for a cancer center. On the trip, the riders split their time camping out, stay- ing in the homes of supporters and sleeping in motels. Scott Lee, Bikes and Beyond owner and Clatsop County commis- sioner, provided a discount on the group’s bikes, which are being shipped back from New York City free of charge by an Afghanistan veteran and bike shop owner there. “The whole country stepped in along the way,” Nurding said. “It was really impressive and inspiring to see how many people helped us.” W arrenton Grade School office is now open for REGISTRATION Pa ren ts of in com in g K in derga rten stu den ts a re en cou ra ged to register a s soon a s possible. W e h a ve im porta n t in form a tion to sh a re w ith you a bout th e first da ys of sch ool. W a rren to n ’s H ea d Sta rt pro gra m is a lso a cceptin g a pplica tio n s fo r ch ild ren a ges 3 a n d 4 . W e a re excited a bout this upcom ing school yea r a nd look forw a rd to w orking w ith you in the educa tion of your child. IF YOU H AVE AN Y QUESTION S PLEASE CON TACT US AT 5 03-861-3376 Best W estern : 5 5 5 Ha m b urg Ave, Asto ria O OR/Utah–valid R/U ta h— va lid in in WA W A $80 $80 or o r Oregon O reg o n only o n ly $4 5 $45 | Firea rm Tra in in gN W @ gm a il.com w w shauncurtain.com w .Firea rm Tra in in gN W .com ~ shauncurtain@gmail.com 36 0-921-2071 360-921-2071 ,19,6$/,*1p '$< :HGQHVGD\ 6HSWHPEHU SPSP GRACE EPISCOPAL PRESCHOOL Montessori-Based Preschool OPEN HOUSE & REGISTRATION Thu rs d a y, Au gu s t 27, 2015 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm Meet our excellent teachers: Den is e Allen & Den is e Ra iha la REGISTER NOW to secur e your spot for the 2015-2016 school year Hardest day The hardest day of the ride, Nurding said, was riding 113 miles in 110-degree weather through North Dakota, while the PRVW GLI¿FXOW SRUWLRQ ZDV WKH shorter but steeper Appalachian Mountains near the end. By the end, Nurding said, the American Legion arranged for a police escort as he and the other riders traveled down the freeway toward the Hudson. He estimated the ride and fundrais- er had been featured on several television stations and about 20 newspapers. Williams is the only rider coming back to Astoria next school year, as a junior. Nurding said he is going to board at the private St. Michael’s Univer- sity School in Victoria, British Columbia, to help him prepare for college. Tallman’s family moved to Hillsboro. Williams said he has thought of organiz- ing a similar adventure fundrais- er. Still a Great Catch! Happy 80th Birthday Captain Paul Flues II Love, Your lovable, crazy family -())5(