I am astounded by the ridiculous proposal the Federal Aviation Administration has come up with for the imagined safety issue at Pearson Field. I have flown out of Pearson for 40 years and have never seen a significant safety conflict with PDX traffic. The FAA’s proposed solution to create a huge control box around the airport would be a disaster for Pearson, drastically limiting access and the community around it that would have to put up with the noise of aircraft waiting to enter the “box.” There is an astoundingly simple solution to this issue: bring Pearson under the control of PDX, making it their “fourth runway.” Pearson pilots already are used to interacting with PDX. If visibility to the Portland tower is an issue, add a camera. Pearson is an important asset to the community, especially with two other Clark County airports having closed in the last decade. I am amazed by the grenade solution being proposed when a fly swatter would suffice.
— Craig Walker, Camas
