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Show Letters to Hie EdHor... Dear Sam: In reply to the letter from Joseph Zemaitaitis in last week's Times Independent. I especially appreciated his writing since it. lets us get to the heart, of the problem. Joe refers to only one encounter of record and that one at 1400 ft. apart. I don't doubt the distance, but I'd like to know how close it would have been if BOTH of us had not taken evasive action a westerly heading at low level in the area between Fort Bottom and the Bow Knot. Merrill Fisher and a passenger reported one so close just north of the target area that they heard it above the noise of their own craft. Jim -reports one in that same area so close that had everything stopped for a few seconds he could have read the pilots name on his helmet. I do not doubt that some excellent equipment is available at the missile base but the above incidents should point out that there are some holes in the system.-As for the cooperation comment -the turning right from the target instead of passing over the airport and the information regarding their schedules that they give us each week, 1 consider these only common sense actions. We appreciate the consideration shown us on our busiest day, Friday, but the only time this courtesy was extended was on the last weekjof their scheduled^flights when they terminated at 2 p.m. At last week's meeting, I was assured that the entry point would be moved 8 miles to East and there would be no Fill missions scheduled on Friday afternoons until after Oct. 1st when our busiest season ends. These actions will reduce the hazard level many fold. There are still two areas to be closely watched - one is about 15 miles South and the other area is just North of the target. There is a concentration of low level general aviation traffic in the latter area as it arrives and departs Green River. In another section of the last paper it appears to me that one nian has gone on record indicating that these seven incidents in the first eleven months of the program are of only minor importance, I sincerely hope, and will work diligently to assure, that he never has to eat his words. Sincerely, Jim Hurst |