• I am writing on behalf of…

• I am writing on behalf of the Brampton-Caledon Airport (CNC3), which is a very busy airport used for flight training (over 120,000 movements per year, the majority of which are training flights).
• We are very concerned about the high-voltage power lines being proposed in the vicinity of the Brampton-Caledon Airport.
• The proposed power lines and towers will penetrate the protected airspace (approach and outer surfaces) for certified airports.
• On a normal approach to runway 33, there will only be ~80 ft above the power lines which leaves little room for error and is especially problematic for student pilots who have not yet developed the skills to consistently fly a normal approach. Margins for error are further reduced at night and on days with low visibility when it is more difficult to see the power lines.
• Taking off towards power lines in close proximity to an airport is like taking off towards a wall and in the event of an emergency such as an engine failure shortly after take-off, the viable options available to pilots are drastically reduced when they are trying to get their airplane safely back on the ground.
• Aircraft and high-voltage power lines are a volatile mix and the safety of airport operations need to be taken into account when selecting the location of the power lines. The most recent such accident in Canada involved a light airplane that hit high voltage power lines at night near Les Cedres airport (just west of Montreal) while on approach to land, killing the two people onboard the aircraft.
• When, not if, an aircraft hits the power lines, consider the liability for having knowingly built power lines in the vicinity of an airport.
• Depending on the height and location of the power lines, airport operations may be significantly limited or we could face a complete shutdown of the airport and be forced to relocate.
• The only options that we consider acceptable are 1) locating the power lines much further from the airport so that they don’t interfere with aircraft arrivals and departures at the Brampton-Caledon Airport and if that is not possible 2) burying the power lines underground in the vicinity of the Brampton-Caledon Airport in order to maintain safety for airport operations.