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296. <br /> e particular were probably "fairly indicative" of the County-wide demand for such <br /> a service since anyone could go to HWA and take the flight training from any <br /> t of the planes based there. Mr. Matthews feels the estimates are reliable as <br /> planning figures at this point. <br /> Mr. Kizer: Asked Mr. Matthews why the Division of Aviation preferred the <br /> method of traffic calculation based on the annual operations rather than the <br /> method "derivative of the number of airplanes." <br /> Mr. Matthews: "It is the operation that generates the traffic, not the <br /> airport We are more comfortable with a traffic generation tied to the actual <br /> activity of the airport itself." <br /> Mr. Kizer: "How did you get 5.8 trips?" <br /> Mr. Matthews: Replied that DOT highway engineers in the "Planning and Research <br /> Branch" provided the figures for him at his request; specifying that Mr. Springer, <br /> one of the engineers,.said the "text references" used by DOT cited those figures <br /> and, Mr. Matthews added, would be used by DOT engineers for any airport in the <br /> State. <br /> Planning Board member Irvin: Asked Mr. Matthews in his "position" for DOT <br /> what he considered.to be his principle function. <br /> Mr. Matthews: "To ensure that there are adequate airport facilities in t <br /> State to meet the requirements that are imposed upon such airports by the fly H19 <br /> public and by the communities." <br /> Mr. Irvin: Asked if airport safety was not important. <br /> Mr. Matthews: Replied that safety was #1 priority in any project. <br /> Mr. Irvin: Told Mr. Matthews that, in his opinion, Mr. Matthews' letter of <br /> June 29, 1982, to then Planning Director Jim Polatty, seemed to be biased in favor <br /> of the Midway Airport and seemed to convey the opinion that the Planning Department <br /> was "unreasonable" in the recommendations it made with regard to the approach <br /> requirements. Mr. Irvin asked Mr. Matthews if he'd have written the same letter <br /> if he, Matthews, had been the "recipient of a petition signed by 500 concerned <br /> and somewhat irate" citizens of Bingham Township? <br /> Mr. Matthews: Said that he could not say what he'd have written had he <br /> been a member of the Planning Board and that he was not a member of the Board <br /> of Cr,...,ij_.sioners either. He said his office favors the Midway Airport- because <br /> of •: iveral factors: an unwillingness on the part of the public to either <br /> expand or continue HWA operations; and that his office had not seen evidence of <br />