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I was just into Chukar Flats on the John Day River in north central Oregon. The BLM has put up a sign saying the area is closed to all motorized vehicles (with a sign showing airplanes crossed off) because the area is a wilderness study area. The log show the sign went up recently. The sign says to contact the Prineville office of the BLM if you have any questions.

I believe a letter writing effort to all our Congressmen and Women is in order. I think an original letter would be best, but I will suggest the following:

(Your Congressman)

Sir,

The Prineville, OR BLM office is trying to close the airstrips on the lower John Day river. These airstrips have been used for many years and provide the only access (except for boat) to the area, since most of the surrounding area is private land. This stretch of the river is 50- 60 miles long and runs through a deep canyon. To float this river requires a minimum of 3 days and requires major effort and preparation that keeps most people from seeing this beautiful area.

I strongly object to the BLM's actions.

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<skywagon email subscriber name removed>

A guy I know was telling me about what sounded like a pretty cool strip on the John Day River, it's 10 or 20 miles northwest of Condon Oregon. There's a windsock mounted up in a tree, and a picnic table. Anyone familiar with this one? I was wondering if maybe it's the Chukar Flats mentioned here.

Eric

I think there are legal stop-gaps that are technically supposed to keep the government from making arbitrary decisions regarding public use land without public comment.

Contact the Recreational Aviation Foundation (and then join them). The Blue Ribbon Coalition is another good ally. The UBCP (Utah Back Country Pilots) have been fighting battles like this for years now, and winning. We are now allied with the RAF and the Blue Ribbon Coalition and have actually been able to secure the future of quite a few endangered airstrips in UT and even officially reopen a few for use to the public. The Idaho Aviation Association also fights the fight constantly. All these organizations can help get things rolling. Writing letters is just the start.

RAF: http://www.recreationalaviationfoundation.org/

BRC: http://www.sharetrails.org/

UBCP: http://www.utahbackcountrypilots.org

IAA: http://www.flyidaho.org/

This sucks. It always seems that the situation is status quo in favor of those who make the closures. Meigs for example: While the fight ensued, the poor airport stayed idle with bomb craters on the runway. It's likely this strip will stay closed for the duration of the fight. In CA some places you have to buy a special permit to park your vehicle off the road to even do some hiking. Eventually this country will be so overregulated that I'll be forced to relocate to Iran, which by that time should be an American Territory with plentiful nuclear energy reserves. . It also has good skiing I hear.

z

Chukar Flat airstrip is partially on BLM land but mostly on private land. The BLM has closed the section on public land. The owner of the private section has stated that if too many people use his airstrip he will close it down. My gut feeling is that we are in the process of losing this airstrip. I've been in contact with the RAF but I'm not sure what the status of the airstrip is. The RAF (http://www.recreationalaviationfoundation.org) has asked pilots not to use the airstrip until things get straigtend out (check out the RAF website, they have an article on this strip). I'd like to see the RAF or other party lease or purchase the section of Chukar Flats airstrip on private land to perserve it for future use.

I find the BLM's behavior very frustrating. I believe both WSA and Wild and Scenic river laws protect previously existing use, and ranchers and others have been landing in the John Day River canyon forever. Also, it is nearly impossible (unless you are friends with a rancher) to get access to the river canyon when the river level falls below 800 cfs. A very simple way to eliminate river use conflicts would be to simply limit aircraft use to July 7th on (since that is usually the last time of the year the river can be run by raft). No conflit with boaters, and the BLM has people in the river area keeping an eye out for poachers and others who would truly abuse the area. Also, occasionally, military jets use the river canyon for nap of the earth training, and if you think your little airplane makes noise, you've never been right underneath an F-16 doing low flight (I have, and on the John Day when I was trying to run Clarno Rapids, not my idea of fun).

The BLM is doing what the did to the Owhyee River. There were several airstrips along the river that were used forever but the BLM closed them down. Yet, in a classic BLM double standard, if you can drive down a previously existing track or road to the river (and several exist), you can do so legally. Once there who is going to stop you from going 4-wheeling off road (a much more damaging action then airplane use). Again, almost no one is down in the river canyon after June since the river usually is below floatable level at that time.