Jackson Jambalaya

Correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I think the FAA regulations require that, before a new airport may be considered for approval, all existing airports within so many miles of the proposed site of the new airport must give approval, or at least not object, to it. I think the regs say airports within 30 miles. I'd expect an objection from Jackson-Nevers.

Rudy still has not learned his lesson from his lake project. You might need to find a geotech firm to complete your report.

People are seriously considering this idea? What happened to my Madison County? You know, the one where planes landed on a grass strip next to I-55 just south of the Canton exit.

C'mon people. Yes Madison County has grown tremendously. But an airport? Put a convention center and baseball stadium and dome and riverwalk next to it as well.

When will our elected officials learn that infrastructure, education and LESS government are the keys to economic growth, not boondoggles.

10 to 1 that someone in or kin to Madison government already has options of most of the land adjacent to both locations. Takers?

Makes no sense. The Jackson airport would be easier to get to than the Hwy 43 site from Madison and Ridgeland. There are roads in Madison County and subdivision streets that are in poor shape and have not been paved in years.

We have to follow the money here. I know Tim Johnson has been heavily involved. His mindless follower John Bell votes how TJ tells him.

"Rudy still has not learned his lesson from his lake project. You might need to find a geotech firm to complete your report. "

He learned his lesson alright - screwing up a project does not keep you from pocketing the money from no-bid, single source "professional services" contracts if you kick back to the supes.

There is a wonderful airport already in Madison. It needs to be revived. I have based planes at he Madison airport and ever measure to improve and expand it has been stopped by the city officials. The runway is 4444 feet long and could be extended to 5000 easily. A 5000 foot runway is plenty long for jets to operate , unless they are foolish enough to think Madison is going to get commercial service. Very few private jets need longer runways. The stupid Airport Commission in Jackson has pretty much destroyed private aviation at Hawkins Field with regulations that has stopped any building of hangars for over 20 years. The people that don't want the airport in Madison where it is now built houses around it knowing the airport was there and now complain about the noise. This is typical. The city and Mayor Hawkins have stoped any real progress such as new hangars, business with hangars attached like at Peachtree Dekalb airport in Atlanta. The current airport in Madison is a jewel that needs to be cultivated not shut so that a real estate developer can make a bunch of money. As they say, "Follow the money!"

@10:53. The report shoots down being able to expand Madison's field easily. The cost of property acquisition is what will stop that in its tracks.

Buffer zones and whatnot.

Then, you will have to deal with the uppity neighbors that won't have larger planes ruining their morning hangovers and naps

12:22 - the report doesn't 'shoot down" what the pilot at 10:53 is suggesting. Expanding BC to 5000 feet wouldn't require the destruction of 400 houses - that would be required by Rudy's 8000 foot plan, something that is absolutely ridiculous for another airport in the metro area.

5000 feet of runway and associated buffer zones is not prohibitive at BC. That option, though, wasn't explored by Rudy because of the foregone conclusion that he couldn't collect enough money to kickback the required percentages to his stoogies on the board and have enough left over for him and Elvis.

Bravo, 10:53 AM. Thank you.

Amen to 8:54 and I agree with 10:19and 10:53. Sounds like Hawkins Realty is involved some how. Hawkins Field has plenty of room to expand if given the authority to do so. Sounds like the proponents wanting to build another airport need to lobby the folks responsible for allowing expansion at Hawkins. Jet planes fly into the Madison airport almost daily. Not really sure what the true need is in Madison County. Just don't continue to raise my taxes. I'm tired of it

I would hope there's lots of research that exists that doesn't show up in the report - full topographic surveys, soils investigation, traffic study, etc.

On the other hand, why does a site selection study include the design of a building? It just seems like eye-wash to sell the public.

The fee seems incredibly high. I wish someone had comparisons for similar site studies.

My earlier post was not approved, for some reason. I had asked if it's not true that if the city of Madison abandons the current airport or changes its use, does the property not revert to the federal government from which it was gifted to the city for use AS AN AIRPORT?

Second point: The poster at 1:19 seems to think there is an association between Hawkins Realty and Hawkins Field. Madison airport is NOT Hawkins Field.

Third point: You can bet your sweet ass that Mary Hawkins is not in cahoots with any plan or action of the County Board of Supervisors.

Fourth Point: John Howland has about as much business being a County Supervisor as Lukey's Turtle has. He has zero business background, has never operated any sort of business, has no accounting experience, no management experience, no experience in engineering or building, no design or development background, no knowledge of construction or planning. At least Lukey's Turtle is an expert at going from point A to point B, albeit rather slowly.

How does this type of ripoff happen? No way legally possible to spend this amount of money on this type of study.

@12:39

Slides 46-50 show an expansion of the runway from 4,444 ft to 5,000 ft. Slide 55 shows the cost at $97 million

It is the most expensive option out there. In other words, "grounded"

@1.31
The fee for the 2002 airport study was around $120K, or about 10% of Rudi's. The 2002 study included maybe 75% of the detail contained in the new report. Mary was right-this is highway robbery!

It sounds like a number of you have not looked at Madison airport lately. The city is building a new terminal building so that they can abandon the trailer that now serves as the airport offices. Secondly, the addition of 556 feet to the runway certainly will not cost $96 million. They could simply rebuild Tidewater Lane W a little south of its present location.

Thank you Rudy - at 2:13 - who else would be so quick on the draw to know which slides show specific details? Better question - who else cared to read through this b/s?

The 'phone survey' of existing pilots showed a desire for an airport that would support bigger jets? I call b/s on that as well. The 'study' identifies the number of pilots in each of the three counties. All those that are flying Beech, Cessna, Piper, etc prop planes probably didn't express the need for a new airport that would support jets! Most like the convenience of BC and Hawkins - bet their comments would be against a location as recommended. Except, of course, those that live out near Turcotte.

On a related note, it might have been state before, but what is that structure rising above the pine trees on the far east side of the runway back toward Tidewater, what was it's cost and do the geniuses figure in the cost of abandonment of things like that?

Ole Rudy was paid $1.2M to develop a 70+ slide presentation?

Maximum billing at minimal effort at its finest.

More than half of this report could have been prepared in about a week by somebody with the ability to use Google. $1.2m.

Looks like the majority of the slides (and, most likely, the actual work) were done by Baker. The few slides that just have Warnock & Associates' logo are pretty laughable.

I live about a mile from one of the proposed sites. I am a madison county tax payer that does not have access to madison county schools. Hey guys! I dont need a big hole in the ground across from the supervisors house nor do i need an airport! I need a school in north madison county. You take my tax dollars for this bs and my kids cant have a decent school.

Note to 2:01. I'm very aware of the difference between Hawkins Field and the mayor. I'm at Hawkins Field weekly. However, now I know why your earlier posts weren't approved. You're a DUMBASS and a SMARTASS. Try making a better list of points next time, DUMBASS.

So, will the people of Madison County keep electing these crooks? Banks , Griffin and John Bell Crosby particularly need to go. Time to clean out the corruption in Madison County.

Oh, the developer of Lost Rabbit, Lovelace, who received a $5 million county bailout is one of the host for Banks fundraiser. Tim Johnson and Rudy Warnock are big friends of Lovelace.

4:19 I'm sorry to hear about your plight, but isn't "north Madison County" part of the Canton School District? Is Velma Jackson part of the Madison School DIstrict?

Velma Jackson is county but has about the same demographics, and same results, as Canton. If you live in Canton/ North Madison, you go to Canton Academy.

I'll have everyone know that Mary Hawkins did her best to try and threaten Warnock & Associates into revealing the location of the new airports. When told NO multiple times she informed them that she had "other ways" to make them cooperate or else. I wonder how long it would have taken her to get the sites over to her brother who is a real estate agent?? When will the press finally start asking MARY the hard questions and stop being afraid of her?

Banks fundraiser is a shake down of developers. Everybody knows that developers have to pay up to get approval for developments. State auditor Pickering does not have the gonads to go after the Madison County Mafia. Madison County citizens should not rest until Karl and Rudy are rotting in a jail cell in their own feces.

Sorry you can't park your Cessna at Peachtree DeKalb, 1:36 or that your Mercedes Coupe isn't sheltered when you fly. It's also quite tacky to have that jar of Grey Poupon in the left, rear window of your 2-seater.

If you find fault with my 'points' how about attacking them one at a time, with discussion.

If you want to park and hangar your ride in Jackson, fine; however, Madison's booming expansion for decades, its destination status and business opportunities require an airport (accessible to jet traffic) IN THE COMMUNITY.

While strutting like a Blue Angel, you should know that nobody gives a rat's ass that you're a pilot who visits an airport weekly. Airports don't revolve around YOU. They revolve around communities.

Meanwhile, work on your spelling and grammar.

1:36; It was 1:19 who seems to confuse Hawkins Field with the Madison Airport due to the name of the mayor by the same name. 'Dumbass at 2:01 was addressing him, not you. You may be the dumb ass.