EnXco, a developer wanting to build additional wind tubines in the Montezuma Hills, offered $1 million at a Feb. 21 Solano County Planning Commission meeting. The money is to be used to improve the radar system at Travis. Travis Air Force base officials withdrew their long standing objections to the additional wind turbines after they were informed by their superiors that there were no “reasonable expectations” of problems with the system.
My question is, has anyone ruled out a negative affect on Radar accuracy in handling General aviation aircraft. Is there still a question in the minds of those at Travis? Has the promised funding clouded the original issue that these wind turbines, built closer to the base, might affect the accuracy of the returns from flying objects. That flying object might be my or your aircraft crossing the TAFB flight space.
The Reporter’s Danny Bernardini wrote that Gregory Blue, regional manager of external affairs for enXco, said “We were trying to help them enhance their radar and we’re doing it in the form of a gift.” “It’s all about enhancing the radar so we can co-exist.” The question remains, will the additional turbines have an affect that will require some enhancing of the new radar system to remain safe. Does this mean that until the system has been enhanced, are G.A. aircraft at risk during control by TAFB traffic controllers. Has anyone looked into this? Comments?
For those interested in this question, make plans to be at the ALUC meeting, March 13, 2008. The meeting is held at the Solano County Airport Conference Room, 7:00pm. Maybe someone might ask this question of the commission.
Danny Bernardini”s article can be found at www.thereporter.com
Posted by David Aronson
8 March 2008
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/03/08/travis-airforce-base-paid-off-by-developer-its-your-safety/