For decades, the U.S. auto industry and politicians in Michigan have conspired to obstruct efforts to improve mileage requirements for U.S. automobiles, arguing absurdly that U.S. auto makers can't meet the standards that most civilized countries have easily met with a reasonable effort. The result has been continuous erosion in the sales of U.S. cars relative to sales of cars from other countries, loss of jobs and factories in Michigan, and fewer union auto jobs now than at any time in the past 50 years. Once again, dogma loses to broader vision.
For decades, certain Blaine County businesses and aspiring politicians have argued that moving the airport to a location that is safe, reliable and that can accommodate changes in airplane design and equipment, but is 20 minutes farther from the present airport will somehow prevent people from coming to Sun Valley and Blaine County. The result of this dogma has been fewer skier days in the 2000s than in the 1980s and fewer visitors than comparable resorts in the western U.S. While many other resorts are thriving, Sun Valley is becoming marginalized, and its airline diversion-phobic customers are going to other resorts with adequate airports.
With: first, the anticipated phasing out of the Brasilia aircraft and Sky West's lack of other equipment options; and, second, the risks that the present airport faces if there is an accident involving a Q-400 and the FAA denies future landing to the Horizon Q-400, Blaine County is facing the prospect of continuous erosion of visitors relative to other resort communities whose airports are better situated to serve the flying public. Detroit and our local naysayers share a common lack of vision, but also share a common result.
There is a lesson to be learned from the Michigan auto industry dogma. I hope we can learn it here before our present airport runs out of time and air service. The entire community should be working together to get us a new airport as soon as possible.
Len Harlig
Ketchum
