Norwood Airport Association Backs Landing System-July 26, 1974

The Norwood Airport Association (NAA) will meet with the board of selectmen on Aug. 6 to voice its support for the proposed installation of an instrument landing system (ILS) at the field. Safer Facility In a unanimous vote taken at last night’s association meeting at Aviation Career Institute, over 20 NAA members decided to appear before the selectmen as a group in hopes of convincing the board that an ILS will not produce an increase in local air traffic and that it will, in fact, make the airport a safer facility.

The NAA, a group representing local pilots and aviation interests hopes that the selectmen will, in turn, urge the airport commission to reconsider its June decision to prohibit the installation of the ILS. The Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission (MAC) has offered to assume Norwood’s share of the financial burden — $2 500 of an estimated $40,000- $50,000 in site preparation costs.

Airport manager Arnold R. Stymest also announced last night that the field’s traffic pattern will be raised by 200 feet within six weeks Once the change is in effect, aircraft taking off will be required to climb to 800 feet before making their first turn and 1,000 feet before making their second. Angle Increases The pattern now calls for turns at 600 and 800 feet.

The angle of descent for landing aircraft will also increase. Mr Stymest said the altitudes installation of the sophisticated are being increased in an attempt to reduce noise in the proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Construction and maintenance of the $250,000 ILS, to be installed adjacent to the airport’s north-south runway, Everett Street area of Westwood which he explained, Is 150-200 feet higher than the airport.

The bulk of last night’s meeting was devoted to a discussion Group Varied course of the two-hour meeting, Mr Connor stated emphatically that an ILS at the airport would not increase traffic and said it was ‘incredible.’ that the commission voted against the FAA proposal. An ILS doesn’t mean expansion or heavier aircraft It would simply make this a more efficient and reliable facility To turn down an ILS is incredible, absolutely incredible There must be a reason.

Either they didn’t understand it or they’re out to scuttle the airport.” Robert A. Arnold was among several other NAA members to question the objectivity of the airport commissioners and members of Snag “We’re dealing with people hell-bent to close this place,” he said “if you want 15 cents for grass seed they’ll call it expansion This airport is in dire need of ILS These people won’t take an objective look. All they want to know is how soon can it be closed and how many buildings can we put in?”

Snag recently released a statement which estimated that it would cost $25,000 to install ILS-compatible equipment in a single aircraft Calling the organization’s figure “a lie,” Mr. Stymetz said the actual cost is between $2,500 and $3,000.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger