My Introduction…

I have been an avid follow of the Toronto City Centre Airport, Community AIR, and this blog for some time. Until now I have been content to quietly lurk in the background, reading the many contributions to this forum, learning the intricacies of the airport’s politics, and trying to understand the unique characters involved in this issue. I can, however, no longer remain a silent observer of this forum.

Some of the comments posted in the last month, and particularly those following the crash of Colgan 3407, have shocked me to the core. Many are blatantly biased, concocted with no other intent then to support the a personal point of view or agenda. The contributors to this debate have clearly chosen to manipulate data through flawed analysis to terrify readers into believing that a similar crash in Toronto is just a few Porter flights away.

Before I continue, I believe that I must be open and honest about my background so my comments can be judged fairly. I would hope that other contributors to this forum also disclose any conflicts of interest or underlying motivations.

I am a passionate Torontonian, and I have been my entire life. I dream of a day when then entire community becomes involved in the political process, not just small groups on the extreme right and left that claim to represent the whole.

The existence of Community AIR excites me, because it means people are involved. It offends me that they claim to speak for the majority.

I cycle thousands of kilometres a year, more than half of those along the Toronto waterfront, and have used that same waterfront to commute to work by bike. I regularly visit the waterfront and the Toronto Islands with my family, just as I did as a child.

I am an environmentalist. I deplore the destructive actions of previous generations, and our continued dependence on the automobile and suburban sprawl. I believe high-speed rail for the Windsor-Ottawa-Quebec triangle is key to the future needs of both business and the environment.

I was a professional pilot, and hold licences in three countries and a Canadian ATPL. I also have considerable instructing experience. I’ve since moved onto the business world, having turned my back on flying largely due to instability caused by economic fluctuations and global events. I understand completely what happens in the cockpit of a commercial aircraft.

I own property within the Toronto City Centre control zone, however, given its location, the existence of the airport in no way affects its property value.

Finally, I am honest. I do not manipulate facts to suit my cause, and will not stomach it in other arguments.

Please read and feel free to respond to my comments that will follow in my next few posts. I’m not planning a “hit and run” post, and will be around and happy to respond to you.

I am going to begin by looking at some of the postings, and identifying their significant shortcomings.

Peter Jay