On Feb. 8, the Boeing Co.’s new extended version of the 747 plane departed from Paine Field after waiting two hours for the weather to improve. Due to the redesign of the aircraft, the FAA considers it an experimental plane. How timely for this flight to occur, on the heels of the recent environmental analysis’ ridiculous findings of No Significant Impact to our communities.
On Feb. 5, Save Our Communities released its comments on the EA, posing the following question: “If airlines were operating scheduled flights at Paine, would the FAA allow the Boeing flight and airfield closure to take priority over scheduled flights?” More importantly, they asked, “If not, then why aren’t potential impacts to Boeing assessed in the EA?” Good questions.
The Feb. 8 flight was scheduled to take three to five hours. How can scheduled flights not interrupt Boeing operations? Why wouldn’t we want Boeing, the largest employer in the county, to have unfettered access to Paine Field’s runways?
I encourage everyone to read SOC’s comprehensive comments and cogent response to the seriously flawed environmental analysis at socnw.org. Learn how regional FAA officials coerced County Council members into voting to build a terminal.
After you’ve read the report, contact Executive Reardon and tell him we’re holding him accountable. With this new information, urge the County Council to revisit this issue and rescind its vote. The law firm they have on retainer can help them negotiate in good faith legally. Officials must demand the airlines pay their own way without taxpayer dollars and subsidies!
Vern Ashbrenner
Mukilteo
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