Cave Junction, Ore.– At least 40 people showed up to the meeting where the Illinois Valley Airport Advisory Board heard question after question from the residents. Back in August Erickson Air Crane expressed their interest in leasing out one acre for $8,500 a year. They would use the area for training operations for up to five hours in a week.
Margaret Lyon has lived in Cave Junction for 20 years and said, ” The helicopter and planes would make too much noise. I hope we decide on what’s best for everyone.”
Airport Manager Larry Graves said the contract would run from the months of November to May. “I really am interested in hearing everyone’s concerns and the noise issues are of concern the difficulty here is in gaining quantifiable information about the effects on people.”
And said at least two Erickson choppers would be at the airport.
Graves said the Federal Aviation Administration or FAA will have the final say.
Even though nobody from Erickson was there Monday night, board members said they still have to do a test run with a chopper. It will fly in the air for 15 minutes so that people can get a true sense of the noise. They also said Erickson is looking at other facilities.
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