Tandem skydivers near Casa Grande airport (CGZ). (Photo from Phoenix Area Skydiving’s Facebook page.)
City of Casa Grande officials are opposing a Michigan company’s proposal to offer skydiving over the airport that would include landing directly onto the airport.
The company, known as Skydive Coastal California, owned by AivCon Inc., and also known as “Phoenix Area Skydiving,” already operates northeast of the airport, with a parachute landing zone just outside the crosswind leg from Runway 05 at CGZ.
The company is proposing parachute landing areas between the runway and taxiways of the airport, according to the proposal authored by Skydive’s Luther Kurtz.
Airport Manager Richard Wilke denied the request on July 25, in a letter to Skydive Coastal California, but the company is appealing, and has offered an alternate proposal that would include a parachute landing area only on the south side of the runway and taxiway.
Terry Emig, who operates a business at the airport, also opposes the skydiving proposal, and is urging flight instructors, flight schools and the aviation community to send letters and e-mails to Wilke supporting the city’s denial of the skydiving operation.
Opposition to the proposed skydiving and parachute landing area at the airport can be sent to Wilke at:
Richard Wilkie
City of Casa Grande
3225 N. Lear Ave.
Casa Grande, AZ 85122
Or emails can be addressed to Wilke at: Wilkie@ci.casa-grande.az.us
More details:
- Attached is the revised proposal and the response to Wilke’s denial. (PDFs, requires Adobe Reader or equivalent.)
- Map and information about the current skydiving and parachute area northeast of CGZ.
You must be logged in to post a comment.