Skydive Laconia?

[C_Duff]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

As I understand, the Laconia Airport which is totally located in Gilford, NH, does not get any scheduled commercial flights, what-so-ever, from anywhere like Boston, New York, or Burlington, Vermont, Bangor, Maine or points between. Every plane that lands there is a private, non-scheduled flight........period(!).

That tells me that the airport capacity must be very under-utilized. I know that I do not see much airplane traffic, day or night, weekend or weekday, and I have a pretty good view out to Mt Gunstock and the southern flight-way approach to the runway. Maybe once or twice/day, tops, I may see a small jet line up for an approach from the south in the summer months. From Columbus Day to Memorial Day, October to May, the long off-season, the airport seems to be as quiet as a very quiet morgue.

As I recall, Vice President Dan Quayle landed there in March, 1992, for a ski weekend. Since then, not much has been happening at the Laconia Airport, so I say....... why the heck not say yes to skydiving.....nothing ventured.....nothing gained....and right now...nothing much is being ventured at the airport.....so Skydive-Laconia should be given the big green light with a big long, red, welcome carpet, all rolled out to their plane.

LCI (Laconia airport) does get its fair share of traffic. Maybe not as much as Boston Logan, but it gets busy. According to the FAA records, 129 aircraft are based at the airport. For a 12-month period ending October 2008, Laconia airport averaged 97 operations (takeoff or landing) a day.

Also let’s not forget the 2 weekends a year NASCAR comes to town. During those weeks dozens of private jets invade Laconia and concord airports by racing teams, drivers, NASCAR officials, etc. Skydiving during those weekends is not a good idea.


Has anyone talked to the FAA about Air Traffic Control considerations? That area has a lot of traffic overflying to Boston from Montreal/Burlington area and Portland arrivals from the west. Both Jumptown Skydiving in Orange, MA and Skydive Pepperell in Pepperell, MA have letters of agreement with Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center for traffic advisory services and procedures for their operations.

If this plan is going to happen, I feel a lot more work than the Noonans are planning is needed.

Don't get me wrong, I with the Noonans all the best and hope they succede. These are just my concearns.