Aurora airport is fighting hard to grow. Approval and state funds for a new tower were recently granted. Looking forward, they hope to reconstruct the run-ways for larger aircraft.

Proponents for growth at the airport argue how easy access will be for business folks to get in and out of Portland City center, all the while avoiding the crowd mess at the Portland airport. Wait till they get a load of the Terwilliger curves during traffic rush.

Opponents to Aurora airport growth argue the increased noise, air traffic, and added traffic conjestion are not welcome. Most of these folks live in Wilsonville, just south of the airport. Of course they are also concerned that a much larger aircraft could be dropping by unannounced.

Dropping by is one thing. dropping in...far worse!

I'm glad nobody was killed.

However, there are plenty of older pilots who have never crashed. My dad's 80 and still flying. But he censors himself these days. He never flies in iffy weather; rarely flys after dark, even though he's still fully rated for instrument flying; heck, he even used to teach it. The saying is: there are old pilots and bold pilots, but not old bold pilots.

An Aeronca Champ (a taildragger) is a tough plane to learn to fly for anybody. If I were to question anything, it would be whether anybody not on the top of their game should be flying that model.

Go by Cessna! Or Piper!

As for the airport, I assume it's been there for a while, probably before the Wilsonville housing market took off. Why would you buy a house in the path of an airport?

It's like buying a house next to a BP oil rig and then being "surprised" when it blows up. Not that it happens often statistically but it's a bummer when it happens in your neighborhood.

Careful now, 70 sneaks up real fast and some say its the new 50. I agree.