With a flying club now in existence in Fort Frances, this community is commencing at long last to become somewhat air-minded.
First group outside the flying club itself to become infused with the realization of the need for an airport here was the town council in session. Tuesday evening, when council was interviewed by members of the Fort Frances Flying club, with Rusty Myers and Wellington Smith doing the speaking and showing the maps and photographs of a proposed suitable area.
Upshot of the interview is that the council is going to start the ball rolling in the direction of securing a landing field by starting out to get necessary information concerning as to whether the desired site can be leased or bought, what the cost will be, what government assistance may be available, whether the government will recognize it as a customs and immigration port for aeroplanes, and other relevant information.
When asked point blank by a spokesman of the flying club as to what the council was prepared to do the above is substantially the answer given.
The site proposed by the club is on Stanjacoming Bay at the end of Gravel Pit Road (which turns south of the mill road) on the east side of the bridge. It is directly north of Victoria Avenue projected. This is Indian reserve territory, and negotiations for the site will have to be carried on with the Indians of the reserve and the Indian department at Ottawa.
Myers advises the council that several Indians have been approached on the matter and signified their willingness to co-operate in making it possible for having a suitable landing field site provided.
That particular site has been selected because it provides such an ideal site for a combination land and seaplane air base. It is extremely level with only a minimum of underbrush to be cut out and could be quite inexpensively graded into a flat flying field. The rise out of the lake is very gradual on a sand beach and the seaplanes could be brought out of the water with their own power Smith explained.
Should this site be secured the Forestry plane or planes would undoubtedly be moved there at once because of the sheltered condition of the lake there, it was explained.
First steps in the negotiations will be to approach the Indians to get their approval for the site and to ask the Dominion government to send an engineer here to approve, or condemn, the site.
Next move will be to find out who will build the airport the municipality of the federal government, and what the cost will be.