X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2007 11:39:53 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from smtp109.biz.mail.mud.yahoo.com ([68.142.201.178] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.1.11) with SMTP id 2269555 for lml@lancaironline.net; Fri, 17 Aug 2007 17:53:06 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=68.142.201.178; envelope-from=wpedwards@hilgardhouse.com Received: (qmail 62698 invoked from network); 17 Aug 2007 21:52:29 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO your4dacd0ea75) (wpedwards@hilgardhouse.com@71.106.207.110 with login) by smtp109.biz.mail.mud.yahoo.com with SMTP; 17 Aug 2007 21:52:29 -0000 X-YMail-OSG: JJdS0coVM1njBDFCZTjNTO.dmTpTmoyADiZ3mBhqhP8Iu4bWS7CIIIIvzdFpXslMVVxrAoWsluXnN9vdryAXaj9xFg-- From: "Bill Edwards" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" Subject: RE: [LML] Straight Shot article in SWA Spirit Magazine X-Original-Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 14:52:26 -0700 X-Original-Message-ID: <007601c7e118$e6760f30$2e01a8c0@your4dacd0ea75> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0077_01C7E0DE.3A173730" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) In-Reply-To: Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3138 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0077_01C7E0DE.3A173730 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit What is Mr. Kelly's email address. I am a Southwest frequent flyer and would like to second Jeff's excellent reply. -----Original Message----- From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net]On Behalf Of VTAILJEFF@aol.com Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 12:36 PM To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: [LML] Straight Shot article in SWA Spirit Magazine Dear Mr. Kelly, As SWA Frequent Traveler and a General Aviation aircraft owner/ pilot and a retired military aircrew I take great exception to SWA's recent editorial printed in SWA Spirit Magazine. http://spiritmag.com/2007_08/clickthis/08spolight.php The editorial is filled with many misrepresentations. Please set the record straight. Point #1: Airway congestion is a myth. The skies are not crowded. A few big airports that serve the major airlines are overcrowded with airline traffic. Hub congestion is a fact and is the airline industry's making. Point to point navigation that frees aircraft from using ground based navigation aids and its attendant airways has been around for a long time. GPS has been around for over ten years. I file and fly GPS direct almost every flight I make and I know your crews often ask for "direct to destination" to cut flight times. General aviation got onboard with GPS long before the airlines did. Delays experienced by airlines are their own making. Hub and spoke operations constrict the NAS system into a few major bottlenecks like O'Hare, Atlanta and New York. These airports are generally avoided by general aviation users who prefer smaller closer relievers. You can only fit so many airplanes onto the same piece of concrete. Southwest knows that better than any other airline. New airport construction is sadly lacking in this country. All aviation users need to get onboard together and demand new airport construction-- and not just at a few major hubs. Pont #2: The ATC system served all segments of aviation in 1970 as it does today. Point #3: The general aviation body is adamantly opposed to user fees. User fees have all but killed GA in other parts of the world. User fees are an invitation by one body to tax another into extinction. Be careful what you wish for because when GA is dead, Southwest and the other airlines will be training its own future pilots at a huge expense that they currently do not fund. Point #4: The airline industry as a whole should not be making recommendations to Congress on how to fund the FAA until they as a whole can put their own financial house in order. The taxpayer has been underwriting the industry for years-- most recently with PBGC pension fund bailouts, bankruptcy proceedings and 9/11 handouts. The industry as a whole is the most poorly managed industry in America. Southwest Airlines stands apart and above much of the problems generated by the poorly led airlines and I am dismayed your good company would join ranks with the rest. Please set the record straight in Spirit magazine or I will take my business elsewhere. Regards, William J. "Jeff" Edwards Chesterfield, Missouri ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com. ------=_NextPart_000_0077_01C7E0DE.3A173730 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
What is Mr. Kelly's email address.  I am a Southwest = frequent flyer=20 and would like to second Jeff's excellent reply.
-----Original Message-----
From: Lancair Mailing = List=20 [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net]On Behalf Of=20 VTAILJEFF@aol.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 12:36=20 PM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] = Straight Shot=20 article in SWA Spirit Magazine

Dear Mr. Kelly,
 
As SWA Frequent Traveler and a General Aviation aircraft owner/ = pilot and=20 a retired military aircrew I take great exception to SWA's recent = editorial=20 printed in SWA Spirit Magazine. http://spi= ritmag.com/2007_08/clickthis/08spolight.php
 
The editorial is filled with many misrepresentations. Please set = the=20 record straight.
 
Point #1: Airway congestion is a myth. The skies are not = crowded. A=20 few big airports that serve the major airlines are overcrowded with = airline=20 traffic. Hub congestion is a fact and is the airline = industry's=20 making.  Point to point navigation that frees aircraft from using = ground=20 based navigation aids and its attendant airways has been around for a = long=20 time. GPS has been around for over ten years. I file and fly GPS = direct almost=20 every flight I make and I know your crews often ask for "direct = to=20 destination" to cut flight times. General aviation got onboard = with GPS=20 long before the airlines did. Delays experienced by airlines are their = own=20 making. Hub and spoke operations constrict the NAS system into a few = major=20 bottlenecks like O'Hare, Atlanta and New York. These airports are = generally=20 avoided by general aviation users who prefer smaller closer relievers. = You can=20 only fit so many airplanes onto the same piece of concrete. Southwest = knows=20 that better than any other airline. New airport construction is sadly = lacking=20 in this country. All aviation users need to get onboard together and = demand=20 new airport construction-- and not just at a few major hubs.
 
Pont #2: The ATC system served all segments of aviation in 1970 = as it=20 does today.
 
Point #3: The general aviation body is adamantly opposed to user = fees.=20 User fees have all but killed GA in other parts of the world. User = fees are an=20 invitation by one body to tax another into extinction. Be careful what = you=20 wish for because when GA is dead,  Southwest and the other = airlines will=20 be training its own future pilots at a huge expense that they = currently do not=20 fund.
 
Point #4: The airline industry as a whole should not be = making=20 recommendations to Congress on how to fund the FAA until they as = a whole=20  can put their own financial house in order. The taxpayer has = been=20 underwriting the industry for years-- most recently with PBGC pension = fund=20 bailouts, bankruptcy proceedings and 9/11 handouts. The industry as a = whole is=20 the most poorly managed industry in America. Southwest Airlines stands = apart=20 and above much of the problems generated by the poorly = led airlines and I=20 am dismayed your good company would join ranks with the rest.
 
Please set the record straight in Spirit magazine or I will take = my=20 business elsewhere.
 
Regards,
 
William J. "Jeff" Edwards
Chesterfield, Missouri



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