(At home in California, airport KL94) Our small local pilot group has successfully stopped a housing development off the east end of the runways, heightening of a cell phone tower in the area of the usual turn from downwind to base for runway 09L, and a section of a wind farm with 500' high turbines about 1.5NM SE of the approach end of 27L, ground elevation about 200' above the runway. Our next challenge is a row of 500' high wind turbines proposed at about 1NM NE of the approach end of 27R. That would be a problem for the low, fast finishes we sometimes enjoy. AOPA and even the FAA will stand behind us again, and we'll win. There are now 5500 to 6000 commercial wind turbines (from 100,000W to 2MW) within 20k of the field, which are fantastic wind and lift markers. Two or three rows of turbines can frequently indicate presence of a shear line or thermal. Many of us have ridge soared home along the turbines on the ridge. Coexistence is possible, but monitoring of development is a must. The small towers to monitor the wind, erected either to map a new wind farm location or to sense gusts before they arrive at existing turbines, are seen in many places. The guy wires for the narrow towers are always marked with orange balls. FM radio antennas erected on hilltops are similarly constructed and marked. I've seen more birds die from crashing into the living room window or patio door than into the wind turbine at home. Trucks, buses and trains seem to take their toll on birds, too. Is there a movement to ban them? Jim
My house is nuclear powered, I just choose to keep the reactor a safe 93 million miles away. ________________________________ From: Mike Borgelt <mborg...@borgeltinstruments.com> To: p...@kurstjens.com; Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. <aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net> Sent: Thu, March 3, 2011 2:34:58 PM Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] proposed windfarms? At 07:44 AM 4/03/2011, you wrote: > The item below was in a recent BGA newsletter. > It details a hazard associated with proposed windfarms, and may also be >relevant to Australia, if you fly in areas where windfarms are springing up. >Eyes peeled? > >> > (N.B. In the U.K.) "We understand that anemometer masts have been erected in > a >number of areas proposed for use as future windfarms. Others have been erected >adjacent to but outside current windfarm boundaries. These masts are >relatively >thin, and can be difficult to pick out from the air. Being less than 300 feet >high, they are not required to be lit, or marked on CAA charts, nor to be >subject to NOTAM. Be vigilant in unfamiliar areas if you are less than 500ft >above ground level." > If you check Avweb you'll see there was recent fatality due to one of these and the FAA is being asked why no action. I think it was an ag aircraft so had a reason for being there. Wonderful for ridge soaring gliders too. Ah the wonders of clean, green, safe energy! When the madness has run its course there should be one of the useless wind turbines erected near very capital city to remind the population of the dangers of irrationality. One blade should be folded back, stationary, with some simulated smoke blackening on the gearbox/generator. A nice hole in the ground next to it to remind people where their money went. Fortunately the worst of the wholesale visual pollution and danger to birds of these useless energy sinks will be able to be eliminated with a little plastique in short order, followed by the extensive network of pissant power lines necessary to collect the small amounts of energy they do generate when and if the wind happens to be blowing at the right speed. . "split atoms, not birds" Mike Borgelt Instruments - manufacturers of quality soaring instruments since 1978 phone Int'l + 61 746 355784 fax Int'l + 61 746 358796 cellphone Int'l + 61 428 355784 email: mborg...@borgeltinstruments.com website: www.borgeltinstruments.com _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list Aus-soaring@lists.internode.on.net To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
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