Aviators fear windmills could interfere with landings

BLUEFIELD - Flying over mountainous terrain is a challenge for any aviator, but some local fliers fear that a proposed series of wind turbines along a prominent mountain ridge could eliminate the possibility of a new flight approach into the Mercer County Airport.

The companies Dominion and BP Wind Energy North America have proposed placing as many as 60 windmills, each 400 feet tall, in Tazewell County along the ridge line of East River Mountain. Members of the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors are considering a ridge line ordinance that would restrict the development of tall structures along certain protected ridge lines, including Burkes Garden and East River Mountain.

Local aviators who use airplanes for business travel say they are concerned that the proposed wind farm could inhibit plans to create a second flight path for landing at the Mercer County Airport.

"Currently, we have instrument approaches that serve the southwest direction of the runway," said Bill Cole of Bluefield. "The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering adding an instrument approach to the northeast (direction) of the runway."

Prevailing winds at the airport are usually blowing toward the east. This allows aircraft landing at the southwest end of the runway, known as Runway 23 because of its compass direction, to land into the wind. A headwind helps to slow landing aircraft.

However, if the wind shifts and blows in a westward direction, aircraft touching down on the runway will be landing with a tailwind that adds to their speed.

Such a tailwind was a factor approximately 15 years ago when a jet aircraft landing at the airport came down with such a tailwind boosting its speed. The jet overran the runway and crashed, Cole recalled.

"That jet landed on a slick runway with a tailwind and subsequently overran the runway and exploded. It was a fireball," he said.

Five people were killed in the crash, he recalled.

During poor weather conditions, an instrument landing system allows pilots to land on Runway 23, but instrument landing is not an option if the pilots wants to use the opposite (northeast) end of the runway, Runway 5, and take advantage of a prevailing westerly headwind. Such a system could give pilots another option for approaching the airport, and it could have helped the people aboard the jet that crashed, Cole said.

"Had they had an instrument approach to Runway 5 available then, then in all likelihood they would have had an uneventful and successful landing," he said.

Placing 400-foot-tall wind turbines along East River Mountain, the area by which airplanes approaching Runway 5 would have to pass, may make the FAA reconsider allowing an instrument approach for the direction, Cole said.

"I believe the instrument approach being considered by the FAA would be a non-starter if the windmills are in place," he said. "Additionally, I fear adverse changes to the existing instrument approaches."

Cole's brother, Charlie Cole, who also depends on aviation for business travel, said there are two types of flying. First there are Visual Flight Rules that are used in good weather with good visibility, and Instrument Flight Rules, used on poor weather days.

Being able to use Instrument Flight Rules during inclement weather conditions is important for business travelers, both Bill and Charlie Cole said.

"It is critical that we have a viable airport for business travel, and I believe the wind turbines could do damage to business aviation use at the airport on poor weather days," Bill Cole said.

Charlie Peters, president of the Mercer County Airport Authority, said the authority would likely send a letter to the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors expressing concern about how the windmill project could affect the airport.

A computer with global positioning system (GPS) readings indicated that if the runway path was extended, it extends "right in between where they're going to put those windmills," Peters said. "In an approach off the Number 5 runway, the line would hit the mountain right where they would put those windmills. In order to get a landing system there, I'm not sure the aviation people (FAA) would let us do it."

The airport has made improvements such as updating the terminal building and adding new runway safety zones.

"We have a landing system for (Runway) 23, but we need one for Number 5," Peters said. Businesses often use the airport; air traffic was especially heavy during the recent Bluefield Coal Show.

"Wal-Mart comes in, Lowe's comes in, and the railroad uses it," Peters said. "The airport also works with Tazewell County. Well, like when the governor comes into the area, he lands in Bluefield."