On this subject, I should first state my inherent conflict of interest — I learned to fly at this airport and during my active flying days, it was often my homebase. I believe that it is one of the most important pieces of public infrastructure that we have in southern Chautauqua County.

With that disclaimer in mind, I was pleased by the recent announcement that the county would embark on a marketing study to see what future there might still be for commercial air service into JHW — the FAA designator for this airport.

Though we know that people today are willing to travel to Buffalo (BUF) to fly in and out of the area, is there a model of air service into JHW that would again make commercial air service viable here?

From the county’s standpoint, the issue should be addressed if for no other reason than the fact that we already have a good, serviceable terminal building which taxpayers built back in the days when Chautauqua Airlines was based here. In addition to that, there is a huge free parking area at JHW which is a plus for air travelers. Before we walk away from these investments, we had better be sure that we have done our best to use them.

There have been articles already written about the lack of commitment by a prior air service company. There were also problems in the past with the inability to check baggage through to a final destination when leaving JHW. These problems have been solved at other airports (for example, Bradford, Pa. still has scheduled air service,) and presumably could be solved here.

In my view, the study to be undertaken to determine the viability of commercial air service, must also include discussions with the potential carriers that could provide such service. The commuter airlines in this business are well-known and their potential interest should be addressed in any such study. The matter of scheduling, interconnection with other flights, and the frequency of flights — would all have a direct bearing on the public’s willingness to use our airport facilities.

Another issue which could affect commuter airline service is the availability of pilots. Right now, there is a pilot shortage. The FAA, after a plane crash several years ago near the Buffalo airport, substantially increased the number of hours required before one can qualify to be an airline pilot. This has cut back on the “pool” of pilots available to fly commercially.

Even the doubters of the viability of air service out of Jamestown, would welcome, I am sure, having it reinstituted — if it can be done and maintained successfully. JHW is an incredibly important piece of infrastructure in Chautauqua County. It has been, and perhaps can be again, a center for both general and commercial aviation.

Rolland Kidder is a Stow resident and a former New York state Assemblyman.