Wind turbines a serious aviation safety threat, say owners and pilots

Serious threat to Canadian aviation safety
Serious threat to Canadian aviation safety

The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) has launched a campaign to get the federal government to act on the issue of the proliferation of industrial-scale wind turbines in Canada.
COPA has prepared a backgrounder document and sample letter for its aviator members to send to their MPs, in the hopes of halting the turbine projects near airports and aerodromes.
In Ontario, wind power projects have threatened air operations at Chatham-Kent, Collingwood, and in Oxford County. In every instance mitigation is proposed which doesn’t sit well with pilots and aerodrome owner/operators.
Several years ago, an appeal was launched against a Niagara area wind power project because it would be located next to the Burnaby Skydive operation. The appeal failed, despite evidence that fatalities could occur.
The COPA documents may be fund here: http://copanational.org/files/LetterCOPAmembersCollingwoodStayner.pdf
 

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7 Comments

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 4, 2016 12:53 am 0Likes

    Well I never saw that one coming!!!!

  • Lynda
    Posted August 4, 2016 7:01 am 0Likes

    The white pines project is roughly 20 -25 miles from the Trenton Air Force Base and military aircraft fly directly overhead including the big transport planes (Hercs?) that are coming back loaded from Europe and the Middle East. In fact, the base uses that part of Lake Ontario to practice military air manoevres. A couple of months ago, they were practicing ‘in air’ refuelling from one plane to another with a hose connecting the two. I had seen it in the movies, but never ‘live’. How scary will that be with 600 foot wind turbines blowing them around? It’s absolutely inconceivable that anyone would think turbines should be located so close to a large scale military base that is supposed to keep Canadians (not just Ontarians) safe from foreign attack. I’m surprised we haven’t heard from the base commander……but then of course Justine loves Kathleen; Kathleen loves Dalton; everybody loves money and we all know who pulls the purse strings. Money trumps safety and common sense it seems.

    • Lynda
      Posted August 4, 2016 7:10 am 0Likes

      I forgot to say there are two more airports much closer to white pines…another small military base and a private airport that is just 5 minutes away. Both of these airports tow gliders which rely totally on wind currents for flight. I’m not a pilot but I’m sure these things go off course if the wind changes, perhaps right into the path of a massive turbine. What a mess that would be. I wonder if wpd would try and send out a carcass removal team to hide the evidence?

      • Barbara
        Posted August 4, 2016 11:43 am 0Likes

        It’s possible to go back to WW 2 and the use of gliders in Europe.
        Blown off course!
        Any aircraft that loses power/engines is subject to wind.
        From a political standpoint, lost Canadian Forces air bases can be backed-up by the U.S. anyway.

  • Lucy
    Posted August 4, 2016 9:30 am 0Likes

    Hmmm…living by a wind turbine or being struck down by one; slow death vs instant killing. I prefer the second option.

  • notinduttondunwich
    Posted August 4, 2016 1:40 pm 0Likes

    Yes all very dangerous for all pilots… experienced and unexperienced…. the thought of having to plan an emergency landing anywhere around these IWT MONSTROSITIES is very stressing…. like I said before it’s not an IF but a WHEN there is a fatality….. I fear most for the newer pilots as they have a greater chance….. at least their last few breaths of air will be clean!!!! ?

  • Pat Cusack
    Posted August 4, 2016 4:11 pm 0Likes

    Similar case here in Wainfleet with a professional, world-class jump site.
    Two turbines too near for comfort; many meetings/hearings waste of time and money. Of course nothing was done before turbines went up to simply move them. Happy to say that at time of writing, no casualties yet and parachute club is still business and very busy too. Knock wood. Interesting that we never see the turbines turning. And more and more are going up in our neck of the woods. If I didn’t laugh, I’d cry.

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