Tow planes have an impact on East Boulder
In several recent, rather romantic-sounding stories and letters about flying gliders over Boulder, it was emphasized that gliders don’t use engines and pilots only use rising air to gain altitude. While this is true, the initial ascent must be assisted by a motorized tow plane that pulls the glider up to about 3,000 feet altitude above ground and then decouples from it. This is done in racetrack-like patterns while the tow planes circle, mostly over East Boulder.
Having been an East Boulder Resident for well over 30 years, I can confidently say that the number of these operations has increased significantly over time. Towing now takes place almost every day during times when there is sunshine to provide upslope winds or thermal updrafts, and many times even when there is not. The type of aircraft used as the primary tow plane is also particularly noisy (and time efficient for returning to base because of its maneuverability). The tow planes are probably the reason for most of the local noise complaints about KBDU, as it impacts thousands of residents, many of them lower-income folks occupying the more affordable parts of town.
I understand the unique local atmospheric dynamics, which are in part created by the spectacular topography of Boulder, and I sincerely appreciate the appeal of flying a glider here, but the impact on East Boulder’s population is quite significant and should not be overlooked. I wonder if the city could explore assisting the tow plane operator(s) with the fitment of mufflers on aircraft exhaust systems or other possible means to reduce noise from the towing operations, so the impact on their business is minimized. It could be an excellent return on investment, benefitting a significant fraction of Boulder’s population.
Frank Flocke, Boulder
Republicans are to blame for the shutdown
I was unhappy to read the misleading headline on page 1 of the October 1 Daily Camera. At the bottom of page 1, the AP article was entitled, “Democrats vote down Republican funding bill.” The title implies that the Democrats in the Senate were responsible for the shutdown that we’re now facing. Let’s look at what really happened.
Why didn’t the title read: “Republicans and Democrats vote down each other’s funding bill”? Because that’s what happened! The Democrats in the Senate were proposing that the budget include an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies for low- and middle-income people and that the health care of 15 million Medicaid recipients not get slashed. The Big Ugly Bill, passed by Republicans this summer, set policies that will result in the cutting of many services for millions of Americans while giving substantial tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires, and the law is now highly unfavorable with the American public. Democrats saw this as an opportunity to negotiate the preservation of ACA subsidies, which are due to expire at the end of 2025, and stop the cutting of Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps).
Trump, Thune and Johnson had no serious intention of negotiating. It seems that Trump has always wanted the government shutdown, because he can fire essential federal workers and blame Democrats for wanting to keep in place federal health benefits for undocumented immigrants and trans people. What utter nonsense! Federal laws prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving federal benefits. The Republicans rule all three branches of the federal government, so they are the ones responsible for the shutdown. All illusions of bipartisanship have been vaporized by the Trump regime.
Buckle down, it looks like it’ll be a long shutdown! And look out for those skyrocketing health care insurance premiums for all of us!
Kenneth Nova, Boulder