Never Stop Whining

Let's see how the Fire Chief deals with the IFR Pilot's whining, complaining, and offer to settle...

November 15, 2005

Darryl Beaton, Fire Chief
County of Lethbridge No. 26
#100, 905 – 4 Ave. South
Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 4E4
CANADA

Re: Invoice #20163

Dear Chief Beaton:

Thank you very much for your October 18, 2005 letter concerning the referenced invoice. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.

I sincerely appreciate the additional explanation that you provided to me. I did note Subsection 10 of Section B of Schedule A of County of Lethbridge By-Law No. 1267; however, given that the By-Laws have a specific section dedicated to fees charged in respect of airport operations, I did not assume that the more general charge for dispatch of the Fire Department was also applicable. Additionally, nowhere does the fee schedule indicate that this charge is levied in a minimum increment of one hour.

I am not aware that the additional emergency vehicles from Coaldale & District Emergency Services were also dispatched on the day we had engine trouble with our plane. In fact, I distinctly remember that when we landed and taxied to parking, there were only a limited number of emergency vehicles, perhaps two total, at the airport. You may recall that there was a fatal accident at Lethbridge Airport later in the afternoon of July 20, 2005. Perhaps Coaldale & District Emergency Services responded to that incident, and had it confused with my incident.

In any event, I am again requesting that the County waive the $500 assessment pursuant to that provision of the By-Laws that authorizes waiver for charges associated with emergency or humanitarian matters. If the County is not inclined to show favorable consideration to a visiting aviator who bought significant quantities of aviation fuel while in Lethbridge, spent money on local hotels, restaurants, stores, and taxicabs during several nights spent in the area, and patronized the airplane repair mechanics at the Lethbridge Airport, then I am willing to pay $100, which I calculate at two-tenths of an hour (i.e., 11 minutes) at $500 an hour, to resolve this matter.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Cordially,

The IFR Pilot