OBSTRUCTION TREES - THIS ARPT HAS A PROTECTED FOREST THAT INTERFERES WITH THE APCH TO RWY 24.

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A DANGEROUS CONDITION EXISTS AT PWK IN WHEELING; IL; WITH ANY KIND OF WIND OVER 10 KTS FROM THE SW; THE APCH TO RWY 24 BECOMES TRICKY AT BEST BECAUSE OF TALL TREES BORDERING THE ARPT BOUNDARY. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE WIND RUSHES UP INTO THE TREE BOUNDARY CREATING A STRONG BURBLING EFFECT WHICH CAUSES; ON APCH; FIRST A STRONG DOWN DRAFT; FOLLOWED BY A STRONG UPDRAFT OVER THE THRESHOLD. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE RWY THRESHOLD HAS BEEN DISPLACED MORE THAN 1200 FT. US OLD-TIMERS HAVE ENOUGH TROUBLE HANDLING THIS 'JOY-RIDE;' BUT MY FEAR IS THAT SOMETIME REAL SOON; THIS SIT IS GOING TO SNARE AN UNWARY STUDENT (OF WHICH WE HAVE MANY AT PWK). THIS IS NOT OLD-GROWTH FOREST; THE ARPT WAS HERE LONG BEFORE THE TREES (AS REVEALED IN OLD PHOTOS). CAN WE NOT PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT A DANGEROUS SIT THAT IS ONLY BECOMING WORSE? SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 301453: USE OF RWY 24 AT PWK IS BECOMING MORE OF A CHALLENGE EVERY DAY DUE TO THE EVERY GROWING TREES E OF THE ARPT. RWY 24'S THRESHOLD IS NEARLY 1/2 WAY FROM THE RWY END AND ANYTHING OTHER THAN A PERFECT APCH AND HARD BRAKING WILL RESULT IN AN OVERRUN. TRIMMING THE TREES WOULD RESTORE RWY 24 TO ITS 3652 FT LENGTH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION FROM ACN 301453 WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAYS THAT THE TREES ARE NOT OLD GROWTH FOREST AND THAT HE HAS EARLY PHOTOS OF THE ARPT TO PROVE THIS. THE EFFECT THAT THESE TREES HAVE ON THE WIND IS; IN THE RPTR'S OPINION; DANGEROUS TO PLTS. THE OFFSET THRESHOLD MAKES THE RWY UNUSABLE TO ALL; BUT THE LIGHTEST AND SLOWEST ACFT. THE ARPT MGR SAYS THAT THE COOK COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE MGRS HAVE TOLD HIM THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO CUT THE TREES. THAT THEY ARE THE FINEST STAND OF WILD SUGAR MAPLES IN THE AREA. THE FOREST DOES HAVE SOME RESTRS THAT WERE PUT IN THE DOCUMENT THAT ESTABLISHED THE ARPT AND THE FOREST. THAT PAPER APPARENTLY REQUIRES TRIMMING THE TREES TO ACCOMMODATE THE ARPT; BUT THE FOREST MGMNT HAS ESTABLISHED PROCS THAT MAKE THE ACTUAL EXERCISE OF THE ARPT'S RIGHTS TOO EXPENSIVE TO BE PRACTICAL. BEFORE A CUT CAN BE CONSIDERED EACH TREE TO BE CUT HAS TO BE PRECISELY LOCATED AND ITS SIZE; TYPE; GENDER AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS AND THE PROPOSED AMOUNT OF THE TREE TO BE CUT MUST BE DETERMINED AND THEN THESE AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE COOK COUNTY FORESTRY DEPT FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION. THE MINIMUM COST OF THIS SURVEY AND THE CUTTING WOULD BE OVER $1;000;000. TO BE PAID BY THE APPLICANT OF COURSE. THE ARPT MGR DOES NOT THINK THAT THE FORESTRY MGMNT IS COMPLYING WITH THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE ESTABLISHING DOCUMENT; BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO OVERTURN THEIR PROCS. ASRS HAS LOOKED INTO THIS PARTICULAR PROB BEFORE APPARENTLY.