Dear Raptor Biologists and Conservationists:
The Proposal
A proposal has just been made to relocate the Queen City
Airport from its current location in Allentown, PA USA to the Flying M.
Aerodrome located in very close proximity to Bake Oven Knob on the
Kittatinny Ridge in Heidelberg Township, Lehigh County, PA. This is a
disastrous idea containing potentially lethal aspects to people,
wildlife, and aircraft.
Background Information
Bake Oven Knob and the Kittatinny Ridge is a major autumn
raptor migration flight-line that is also part of the adjacent
internationally important Kittatinny Raptor Corridor that annually records
tens of thousands of migrant raptors including thousands of medium size
Broad-winged Hawks, and smaller numbers of much larger Bald Eagles, Golden
Eagles, Ospreys, and Turkey Vultures, sometimes at low altitudes directly
over the Aerodrome or in very close proximity to it.
These migrating birds represent a serious potential air
strike threat to medium to high volume aircraft traffic and people using
the aircraft, as well as migrating raptors. In addition, significantly
increased aircraft traffic, and the noise it would generate in the
immediate vicinity of Bake Oven Knob, would very seriously degrade the
quality of hawk watching at Bake Oven Knob, and hiking along the
Appalachian Trail which crosses the summit of the Knob.
Hence, I am unconditionally opposed to relocating the Queen
City Airport to, or any significant expansion of, the Flying M. Aerodrome
now or in the future because of the major environmental and aesthetic
problems it would create.
What You Can Do
Please write immediately to the following governmental
officials opposing the relocation of the Queen City Airport to the Flying
M. Aerodrome (or any other site within the famous Kittatinny Raptor
Corridor in Pennsylvania or New Jersey). In addition, please e-mail to me
copies of your letters to my e-mail address below so I have a record of
letters being sent to these governmental officials.
Mayor Roy Afflerback
City of Allentown
435 Hamilton St.
Allentown, PA 18102
USA
David O. Fink, Chairman
Board of Supervisors
Heidelberg Township
6272 Route 309
PO Box 218
New Tripoli, PA 18066
USA
Thank you for providing very prompt assistance regarding
this very important raptor conservation matter.
Sincerely,
Donald S. Heintzelman
Zionsville, PA
USA