Don't forget who plays it best

Picture it. You're seven-years-old and you've brought to school the toy that everybody else desperately wants but doesn't have. Not one to brag or show off, you share your coveted plaything with the other kids. But deep down, you feel pretty special, knowing you have what the other kids only dreams about.

But then it happens. Another kid begs their parents, or any adult who will listen, until a wallet flicks open and the coveted toy is purchased. That kid walks into class with the toy, not acting too proud, but with a little strut and a high chin.

No longer are you the only one with the prized toy. Some of the attention gets pointed away from you - and you're faced with two choices: kick and scream and throw a fit until every kid in class turns around to look at you, or you put on a brave face and at least pretend to get along with that other kid who stole some of your toy-owning thunder.

That seems to be the conundrum Stephenville International Airport finds itself in these days. For a very long time, the airport maintained the only Port of Entry status on the province's West Coast. If an international flight needed to land, it had to touch down in Stephenville. Either that or fly over to Gander or St. John's.

But then, for whatever reason, the federal government decided to include Deer Lake Regional Airport in a new pilot project that will see that airport (at least temporarily) get its own Port of Entry officers. No longer is Stephenville going to be the exclusive Port of Entry airport for the West Coast.

While this doesn't spell out the end for Stephenville's airport, it does raise some questions about the viability of the facility. As most people in the Bay St. George area already know, the airport has been beleaguered over the past few years due to it's low fuel-capacity storage. Planes won't land here if they can't be guaranteed the opportunity to be refuelled, plain and simple.

Those making decisions on behalf of the airport have a clear choice to make. Should they and others in the Bay St. George area cry fowl and start expelling conspiracy theories about how Deer Lake is "out to get" Stephenville? No.

Those operating Deer Lake Airport have a seemingly sound business plan. They've marketed themselves and presented to the powers-that-be some sort of map of the future that requires their airport to have Port of Entry status - and they seem to have found a way to get it.

Now, exactly who those powers-that-be are and what action plan officials at Deer Lake Airport are presenting are a mystery. They seem to be good at saying all the right things to all the right people. Whatever, good for them.

Stephenville officials and residents need to be doing the same thing. As well, people with proper and recognized aviation experience need to be brought in to market the airport to the right contacts, to show the right people how important the Stephenville airport is to the entire aviation industry.

And, of course, officials need to find some sort of way to get the fuel storage capacity of the airport expanded. Behind the scenes, much has been done to try and find some sort of governmental funding to get new tanks installed - without any luck.

Stephenville already has the proper length runways for large international planes - along with accompanying facilities. One would think it would be more economical to fit Stephenville airport with new tanks, rather than install at Deer Lake airport new runways, roads and other services required for international flight landings. Exactly how Deer Lake Airport gets funding for expansions and Stephenville Airport's proposed fuel tanks gets turns down is the million-dollar question.

But that said, now's not the time to lie down or start throwing barbs. Deer Lake is like the kid with the new plaything - getting all the attention and recognition. But Stephenville is still the kid with the original object of desire in their hand - and just has to take it in stride and not let anybody else forget who knows how to play it best.

Christopher Vaughan