HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-07-11 - Agendas - Final • AIRPORT BOARD MEETING
July 11 , 2002
1 :30 pm
Airport Conference Room
4500 S. School Avenue
1 , Welcome.
2. Minutes of the June 6m meeting.
3. Minutes of the June 27th meeting.
4. Receiving of Reports.
A. Charles Wallace, Chairman.
B. Ray Boudreaux, Director.
' • C. James Nicholson, Finance Coordinator
D. Louise Powers, T-Hangar report.
E. Wayne Jones, construction report.
5. Old Business.
A. Review of contract and bids for the Hangar Rehabilitation Project.
Bid opening on July 91h.
ACTION REQUIRED: Forward a recommendation to the City Council.
B. Survey status.
C. Discussion: New hangar project update and report of meeting with the
Arkansas State Aeronautics Commission.
D. Update: Bikes, Blues and Bar-B-Que.
6, Other Business.
A. Items from the Airport Board.
B. Items from the Public.
7, Adjourn.
REMINDER OF MEETING DATES
* Next Airport Board Meeting is scheduled for August I "
* Next Strategic Planning Meeting date to be announced
� f
MINUTES OF THE AIRPORT BOARD.
. June 6, 2002
• MEMBERS PRESENT: Charles Wallace, Frank Burggraf, Frank Sperandeo, Mike
Andrews, Dave Bowman, Otto Loewer
MEMBERS ABSENT: Rick McKinney
STAFF PRESENT: Ray Boudreaux, James Nicholson, Louise Powers
OTHERS PRESENT: Mike Kratchmer and Greg McCoy-Ark. Aviation Tech. Center:
Bob Burbage-Superior Industries International, Inc.; Amy Wolfe-Fayetteville Government
Channel; Donald C. Owens-Drake Tower; K. R. Schossow-Wings Avionics, Inc. ; Wayne
Jones-McClelland Engineers; Christina Crouse-Airport Hair Salon; Judy Hammond and
John Kalagias-Ark. Air Museum; Terry Collier-tenant; John P. Ross-Ross Executive
Aviation, Inc.; matt Wagner-NW Ark. Times; Anna Jones and Audy Lack-MBL
Architects; and Kristal Dearing-Moming News
ITEM #1 : Welcome
ITEM #2: Minutes of the May 21 , 2002 meeting.
A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes as written.
The motion carried.
• ITEM #3 : Receiving of Reports.
A. Charles Wallace, Chairman. Reported hearing positive comments about the
airport. The next Strategic Planning Meeting the Board will work on establishing a more
defined Airport Board procedure, to work on parity on the airport for everyone using the
airport, the services provided, things rented, and marketing priorities. He introduced Bill
Corely, who has volunteered to help the airport with a direct-mail marketing piece. This
will be mailed to pilots in Northwest Arkansas. He has worked with Director Boudreaux
and Tom Wilkerson to come up with the questions and the incentive to get people to
respond to the survey. Mr. Corely explained the survey will be a two color, tri-fold
document that will encourage people to read, answer the survey, and bring the survey
back to the FBO for their free ten gallons of fuel. Mr. Corely suggested having the City's
legal department review the survey, and predicted 30% of the list will respond to the
survey, and the airport will need to be prepared to handle the incentive. Discussion
followed and it was decided to have a cut-off data and post the results of the survey on the
airport's website.
AIRPORT BOARD CONSENSUS: To leave out the "number of flights per week" on
the survey, and for Mr. Corely and Director Boudreaux to work out the final details of the
direct-mail survey.
B. Ray Boudreaux, Director. Reviewed his report in the agenda. Answering
questions about the B.B. King concert, there have been some issues to be worked out.
is C. James Nicholson. Explained the fuel sales were down in May, which could have
been due to bad weather, and also because of the displaced threshold on the runway. Fuel
sales last year had followed a similar pattern.
Director Boudreaux explained he had talked with Goodyear and Fuiji Blimp personnel
before the Wal-Mart event this year. Goodyear had already planned to go to Rogers
• Airport and Fuji planned to operate from Drake Field. At the last minute, Fuiji was
tapped to help fly security over a navy fleet for Memorial Week festivities back east.
D. Wayne Jones, Airport Engineer. Airfield Rehabilitation Project: Paving is
taking place on Taxiway Delta and should be ready to use tomorrow evening. Work
continues to finish the edges up to the pavement, re-seeding, taxiway lighting and then
work will begin on Taxiway Bravo and the west side aprons, and widening the south end
of Bravo. Large Scale Development: A meeting is scheduled for this afternoon to brief
the Planning Commission members. Forest Service Fire Base: We are working on the
Task Order for the extension of Taxiway Alpha to the Forest Service area. Director
Boudreaux told of receiving a grant for the taxiway. Mr. Jones said the contractors plan to
taper out the uneven places on the west ramp prior to AirFest.
ITEM #4 : Old Business
A. Review of the contract and bids for the Hangar Rehabilitation Project. Ms.
Jones, project architect, said there was only one bidder and it was above the estimates. It
had been put out for bids around the Memorial Day holiday and they had one week to
prepare a bid. It will be sent out again next Friday, giving the contractors four weeks.
B. AirFest 2002. Mr. Kalagias went over the scheduled events.
C. Airport Survey. Item was discussed under "Reports".
ITEM #5: New Business
A. FBO Hangar Project. McClelland Engineering has put together a layout.
Because the fire code required more green space, the hangar size has been reduced to 150'
• x 125 ', with a 100' door 28 'high. The airport will present a request to the State
Aeronautics Commission for a 50/50grant. If the Large Scale Development is approved
on Monday, Flying Investments will break ground soon on their hangar.
A motion was made and seconded to move forward with the beginning
of the project and bring the project plans back before the Board for
approval. The motion carried.
B. Lease Review: Wings Avionics and Arkansas Aviation Technologies Center.
Director Boudreaux stated both leases were renewals. Wings lease has been restructured
and their new rent will be the rate that they are paying now, with a no-kick-out clause. It
will start in December when the old lease ends.
A motion was made and seconded to approve Wings Avionics new
lease. The motion carried.
Arkansas Aviation Technologies Center has begun work towards full accreditation and
will be spending additional funds towards that effort. They have asked for a slight
reduction in rent from $4,500.00 to $3,750.00 monthly. The lease is for two years with a
no kick-out clause. This lease does not affect their second building or its lease. It is of
great interest to us to keep the school here and the accreditation will help them get
students easier and faster. Mr. Mc Coy said their candidacy status starts June 12`h and
they can apply for financial aid during the candidacy stage. He reported they had to be in
business two years before they could apply for accreditation, and they have just completed
their financial audit which had cost six-to-seven thousand dollars. Mr. Bowman stated the
accreditation would give the school a more official status.
a
r
A motion was made and seconded to approve the lease. The motion
carried.
• C. FBO Supervisor Position Discussion. Director Boudreaux related that the
FBO operations is running 28 to 29 hours overtime each payroll, and this does not include
the time other airport personnel spend working and assisting the FBO. Also one
maintenance person is working FBO shifts and that takes away from the time he would
normally spend on airport/airfield maintenance duties. He stated he has discussed this
with the Mayor and Personnel Office. It would need a Budget Adjustment of $ 15,000.00
to cover the rest of the year, beginning Mid-August. Board discussion followed with
Chairman Wallace stating the Board does not structure staff. The Board looks at the
airport budget.
D. T-Hangar Leases. Ms. Powers reported there were three new tenants since the
last meeting, and there are three hangars empty. The empty hangars are being used for
overnight aircraft storage. Director Boudreaux said the airport charges $25 .00 per night
for those wishing to store their aircraft inside overnight.
ITEM #6: Other Business
A. Items from the Airport Board. Mr. Sperandeo asked about the airport's
quarterly report. Chairman Wallace suggested having it available at the July meeting.
B. Items from the Public. Mr. Schossow asked for volunteers to sponsor the A- 10
team to the General Tibbets dinner, for four tickets.
C. Young Eagles Program on Saturday, June 8`h. Mr. Sperandeo asked for
volunteers to show up with planes, and that Phillips 66 will refund $ 1 .00 on fuel used.
D. Bikes for Kids. Director Boudreaux said they will begin and end their motorcycle
• ride at the airport on Saturday, June 81h.
Director Boudreaux reminded everyone the next Airport Board Meeting will be on
Thursday, July 11 `h. He also thanked Loyd Luginbuel for the new computer in the Pilots
Briefing Room, and he also thanked Mr. Sperandeo and Mr. West for their work on the
men's restroom. Locks will be installed on Pilots Briefing Room and the Restrooms and
the T-hangar door key will work on those locks.
Mr. Nicholson reported that work in almost completed for installing the "WSI Pilotbrief
Vector" (the internet weather connection) in the FBO area.
Mr. McCoy announced and invited everyone to attend the ceremony honoring Carol
Lindsey for her contributions towards aviation. This will take place at the Arkansas
Aviation Technologies Center on Friday, July 12rh at 2:00 p.m. Three $500.00
scholarships will be given away from the Carol Lindsey Memorial Fund.
Meeting adjourned.
Frank Burggraf, Secretary Date
• MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALLED AIRPORT BOARD MEETING
June 27, 2002
MEMBERS PRESENT: Charles Wallace, Rick McKinney, Frank Sperandeo, Mike Andrews,
Dave Bowman, Otto Loewer
MEMBERS ABSENT: Frank Burggraf
STAFF PRESENT: Ray Boudreaux, James Nicholson
OTHERS PRESENT: Phil Harlin-tenant; Terry Collier-Tenant; Christina Crouse-Hair Salon;
John P. Ross-Ross Executive Aviation, Inc.; Wayne Jones-McClelland Engineers; Bikes, Blues
and Bar-B-Que Board Members-Buddy Ledford (ARVEST), and Ken Morton (lawyer), Bill
Ramsey (Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce); Dan Allen GMS Group; Kystral Dearing-
Morning News; Jeff Waits-Government Channel
ITEM # 1 : Welcome-Chairman Wallace.
Explained at a Special Called Meeting only the announced agenda item may be discussed.
The item before the Board was approved previously for a site across the highway which is airport
property. For a variety of reasons that site has now become undesirable to the folks putting on
the event and they have asked to meet today to hear alternative plans.
• ITEM #2: Presentation Bikes. Blues and Bar-B-Que Organizine Committee-Mr. Ledford.
Dan Allen, CEO for GMS Group which is a marketing firm that managed the Bikes, Blues and
Bar-B-Que last year and will again this year, said the event is primarily a function to help raise
money for the Council on Aging. Last year it was the largest non-Razorback event in the City's
history and the tax base for one-and-half days brought in over two million dollars. They
anticipate this year will double or triple that amount. The event will be on Friday night, October
4`h' A motion followed a discussion of the event.
A motion was made and seconded that the Airport Board recommend that
Council allow the function to occur on airport premises without closure or
major interruption of service to air traffic and that airport is compensated
for any expenses incurred. The motion carried.
AIRPORT BOARD CONSENSUS : The event will be permitted to take place on the airside of
the Fayetteville Municipal Airport in front of the Air Museum, and a Committee be formed to
negotiate with the Bikes, Blues and Bar-B-Que committee.
The following people were appointed by Chairman Wallace to form the committee: Rick
McKinney, Dave Bowman, Ray Boudreaux, and Charles Wallace.
Meeting Adjourned.
•
Frank Burggraf, Secretary Date
FAYETTEVILLE
AIRPORT DEPARTMENT
THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
MONTHLY REPORT
Director, Aviation and Economic Development
Fayetteville, Arkansas
June 2002
The first workday in June, I traveled with a Chamber Group to Little Rock to see President Bush.
We were in the cheap seats but whenever you have a chance to see the President of our great
Nation live, it is a must do. It was a good opportunity to visit with some influential Chamber
members. We also attended the ADED small business of the year presentation to Frank Siccardi,
President of Coenco of Fayetteville.
Most of the month was taken up with activities associated with the Airfest 2002 which by all
accounts was a great success. We worked the waivers and maintained control of the airport
during the aerial demonstrations. We have begun meetings to discuss next year's event and how
big or small it might be. My only concerns deal with the running of aircraft engines and the
swinging of tail draggers in the crowd. If we are to get Military support for next year, a date
• needs to be established and the request needs to be sent to Washington D.C.
We opened the bids for the hangar rehab and only had one bid which was way over the budgeted
amount. We reworked the project and received another bid, only one, by the same company but
within our budget and funds available. We plan to present the project to the board and the
council for approval.
The taxiway rehab project continued with only a small interruption for the air fest. They will be
completed by the end of July as required. Several other projects are under design.
Executive ramp project, Large Scale Development
Hangar "reskin" project
FBO Hangar project
Forrest Service Taxiway project
Ramp taxi strip marking project
Awning move project
T hangar area gate project
We met with the organizers of the Bikes, Blues and Bar-B-Que event on hosting the B. B. King
concert at the Airport, October 4, 2002. We have an agreement to host the event on the northeast
side of the airport. We can do everything without affecting airport operations.
•
4500 SOUTH SCHOOL AVENUE, SUITE F • AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING • FAYETTEVILLE. AR 72701
PHONE 501 -718-7640 Ext. 5 • FAX 501 -718-7646
• We made a presentation to the State Aeronautics Commission for a grant to put towards our FBO
hangar. It was unanimously approved by the commission. We now need to go to the council for
authority to put the contract out forbids. Project estimate is $679,215 .00 for 18,750 SF.
I welcomed the Arkansas County Judges association to Fayetteville on behalf of the Mayor.
I spoke to the Night Lions Club at the Radison. It was a very interesting group of folks and they
all vote. They were very supportive of the airport.
Congratulations to Jim Bell of Belle Air Maintenance. He donated a simulator to the Museum.
Thanks from all of us.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ray M. Boudreaux
Director
•
FAYETTEVILLE
THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
• DAN COODY, MAYOR 4500 School Are., Suite F
Fayetteville, AR 72701
501.718.7642
AVIATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
RAY M. BOUDREAUX. DIRECTOR
TO: Airport Advisory Board Memb s
THRU : Ray M . Boudreaux, Director
FROM : James Nicholson , Financial Co rdinator,
DATE : July 11 , 2002
SUBJECT: Financial Coordinator's Report
Tower Operations Graph: Below is a graph which depicts monthly aircraft operations
as counted by the Fayetteville Municipal Airport ATC Tower. This graph analyzes
information from the previous 24 months. The graph compares the past twelve month
period with the year previous.
2000 1200112002 Comparison
Drake Field Aircraft Operations
allo
am 20001 '01
e 4000 20011'02
o
a
• e � - - - - - - - - -
p 2000
1000
June July Aug Sept Oct Nw Dae Jan Feb Margin ApN May June
Month
FBO Fuel Sales: As can be seen in the graph below, fuel sales volume for the month
of June is up 180% from last month's sales. The June sales level is approximately
175%O of the FBO's monthly average volume of 23,700. The substantial increase is a
reflection of the fuel sold during the Walmart shareholders meeting , Airfest, and
prepurchase of Jet fuel by Flying Investments, Inc. June marks the City-operated FBO's
highest ever volume sales since its inauguration, surpassing 40,000 gallons.
Fuel Sales - Comparison 2000/2001/2002
u
40
tam raA.w.ca
26
xepl r m 4.,wa
J0
2oo11meey eco
n
20 \ _ -
t5
10
r a
Duna July Aug Sept Od Mw Dee Jan Feb Mann Ap10 my Juno
MONTH
• Retail fuel prices have remained steady through June. Following is a comparison of
regional retail fuel prices as of 07/11 /02 :
Regional Jet Center (XNA) Avgas: 2.80 Jet-A: 2.36
Springdale Air 2.73 2.20
Beaver Lake (Rogers) 2.61 2.33
Hughes Aviation (Bentonville) 2.70 (ss-2.35) 2.51
Siloam Springs (City-run) 2 .40 (ss-1 .99) 2.40
Fayetteville Municipal 2.25 2.00
Regional Jet Center provides discounts on Jet-A; . 10 @ 500 gals+, .20 @ 1 ,000 gals +
This month I have included an additional local airport for comparison . The City of
Siloam Springs operates the FBO fuel services. Of interest is the low cost of their self-
serve avgas, and higher cost Jet fuel.
The Graph below illustrates wholesale fuel price increase trend since the beginning of
2002.
Fuel Cost Trend
.ox
• a pox / -jet
AV_
Wlgbub
Av
Wholesale
AO% g aa Rg 8 sR
sgg $ e acco S $ e33e
m�
FYV Facts:
Average monthly fuel sales: 23,700 gals
June 2002 fuel sales: 30,517 Jet* - 74%
10,995 Avgas - 26%
41 ,512 Total
Jet-A sold to FYV-based customers in June: 12 ,331 * - 41 %
Jet-A sold to transient aircraft customers in June: 18, 186 - 59%
Avgas sold to FYV- based customers in June: 6, 107 gals** — 55.5%
Avgas sold to Drake Aviation flight school in June: 2,000 gals — 18.2%
Avgas sold to transient aircraft customers in June: 2 ,888 gals — 26.3 %
Airport Staff overtime - Average per month: 41 .7 hrs
• 'includes U of A •into-plane" - 2,499 gal, & pre-purchase of 7,413 gals — Flying Investments, Inc.
Includes 2,000 gallons donated, & 408 gallons sold to the Arkansas Air Museum during Airfest 2002.
Drake Field Maintenance Requests
Date of req. Date Complete
March 2002 Pilot lavatories and Briefing room need REGULAR SCHEDULED
weekly cleaning. ( Floors, sinks, toilets, and dispensers. )
Three keyed lock installation on doors. ( hanger key fits all )
Ladies room floor needs to be tiled.
Concrete slab installation in front of lavatory doors. ( rain accumulation)
May 2002 Pilot briefing room computer needs to be connected to the internet. ( no Duats)
May 2002 Main Gate needs new antenna for quicker response. ( wrong one installed
see Brady of wings for advice.) Also quicker closing cycle of gate needs
to be 5 sec instead of 20 sec.
Landscaping of main gate with bushes and trees as promised.
June 2002 Removal of waste asphalt pile on side of Ernie Lancaster road shoulder.
Removal of "Hanger Leasing" sign on S. School fence June 2002
July 2002 Damaged street light on Ernie Lancaster Rd needs to be repaired and replaced.
• Street lights #2 and #6 mal�unctioning. Need new photo-cell units.
June 2002 Damaged fence on Ernie Lancaster Rd, north end, needs to be repaired.
July 2002 Hanger door ( units A, B, C, D, ) hinges need to be re-tightened. Also,
Maintenance schedule should be re-instituted and resumed.
Installation of mail boxes on hanger doors.
July 2002 Resume magnetic sweeping of all taxiways.
July 2002 Disposition of the scrapped DC-9, east side. Removal and when?
•
BLUES LEGENDS AT DRAKE FIELD
IhoiWtl lG N� /bR;B oz CONCERT: Technical Issues Have Force
C
oncert
The Change In Staging Area
'9t seems obvious to me that this is the kind of
event that enhances the city of Fayetteville. This
oving makes the Fayetteville airport an important partner in
the economic development of this city, and says to
people that the airport is part of the city and the
community."
' OTT O LOEYffA Airport board member
But Still On
PRECISE LOCATION OF STAGING,
SEATING STILL UP IN THE AIR to lease this area than we are Several board members
to lease the area ( further and organizers said they
north)." hoped the event goes so well
By Ktistal L Dearing used as the entrance gate, dress- Although the exact lease that it becomes an annual ad-
Of MOFANGNEWS ' WEA""stW"oMW ingarea sfor the performers and terms haven't been settled, dition to the Bikes, Blues and
as the site for a VIP reception Allen said the festival board BBQ festival.
FAYETTEVILLE — The show will for local guests and the musi- was 'willing to pay about Airport directors had
go on — but it won't close the cians under the plan $10,000 to use the terminal agreed in May to lease con-
airport. Airport officials, however, said area for the concert. cert promoters a piece of
e B.B. King Blues Tour, the Thursday they were not willing But, according to the dis- land on the west side of U.S. .
st part of Fayetteville's an- to close the airport for the Oct. cussion Thursday, money
nlWBikes, Blues and BBQfes- 4 concert; which means the ac- was not a major factor in 71, across from the airport
tival held each October, will now tual staging and seating may agreeing to be host of the large hangars closest to the
be held within the grounds of have to be situated further north, concert, or in deciding where highway.
the Fayetteville Municipal Air- in the area where AirFest is held to put the stage. :j•, The promoters were to pay
port — Drake Field, instead of each year. Even with certain taxi- "The drily two .,reasons to $7,500 to use the land for the
across the street on land the air- ways closed during the concert, consider doing something concert.
port owns, directors decided board members doubted Thurs- like this (concert) is whether That site won't work, how-
"Thursday. day that the promoters would it's good for the airport and ever, because of technical is-
The precise location of the have enough room for the con- whether it's good for the sues and because it is offi-
staging and seating area remains cert near the terminal once the city," said board Chairman cially part of the city of
to be worked out between air- 400-foot "safety zone" from the Charles Wallace. Like AirFest Greenland.
port officials and the event's or- runway is closed off so that and other events held at the
ganizers, but at a special meet- planes can continue to take off airport, "th"i's is obviously
ing Thursday the airport board and land. good for the city, and in our
agreed that the show would go Either way, airport-board role as a team player in this
on at Drake Field, as long as it members agreed, the terminal community we don't focus
doesn't require the, gostim,gf the ,,;bpilding.could be uspd for the on how much money we can
airport or "cause a major in reception and dressing rooms, ' make, on these types of
ruption of services to air traffic' and the concert could be held events
The concert organizers expect somewhere on the airport Besides, several other di-
the Oct. 4 event to draw 15,000 grounds without having to close rectors noted, the airport still
to 18,000 people from all over down air traffic there. has several million dollars in
the region. Headlining perform- Dan Allen, director of the non-
ers will be blues stars King, Jim- profit Bikes Blues and BBQ reserve and isn't hurting for
my Vaughn and Double Tbouble, board and chief executive of the money.
Buddy Guy and Kenny Wayne promoting fum, said the AirFest "It seems obvious to me
Shepherd staging area has possibilities, but that this is the kind of event
e concert will be heavily it "isn't anywhere near as ideal" that enhances the city of
4nfftised within a 300-mile ra- as the area around the terminal Fayetteville," said board
dr of Fayetteville, officials said building. member Otto Loewer. "This
The primary concert promot- "It will work, it will just cost makes the Fayetteville airport
er — local public. relations and us quite a bit more money to an important partner in the
marketing firm GMS Group — stage it further away from the economic development of
prefers to stage the concert on terminal;' Allen told the board this city, and says to people
the concrete ramp area just out- members. "That's why we are that the airport is part of the
side the main terminal building. willing to pay substantially more city and the community."
The terminal itself would be
NGOZ HUX5T ARK •TlME5 /M4Cb-JtX E z.00z
• Times Editorial prices, staff >professionalism; and 'hanger coq;;;(-
venience, price and availability. Finally, the
Sol • • • • questionnaire asks the:all-encompassing ques
iciting eo-pilots tion: Whether pilots aie happy with the air•w
ports they are using and whether they would:;
ever consider switching. Respondents who give '
Some needed direction for Drake Field the answer Drake Pield.folks are looking for will
provide airporc. officials with a list of pptential
The Fayetteville Airport Board has seta clients.
good course with a series of opinion sur- Additionally, airport officials have managed
veys being sent out to area pilots. to provide a dual purpose with the distributed
The board has authorized a mailing of some survey: Those pilots who complete the review
1 ,200 surveys to pilots in a five-county area to and return it to the airport will be eligible for
find out what they think about Drake Field's 10 free gallons of Avgas (airplane fuel) . That
future. The municipal airport has struggled in could ostensibly expose more pilots to the
recent years, after its commercial airlines flew Fayetteville airport and encourage them to use
one by one to the Northwest Arkansas Regional its facilities in the future. After all, a pilot can't
Airport in Highfill. get the 10 free gallons without showing up in
For a time, the airport board's response was Fayetteville.
less than encouraging. While its members still And, no less important, the survey sprinkles
seem intent on maintaining Drake Field as a in a bit of marketing.
general aviation airport, much of the new "In case you haven't heard, there are lots of
activity there in recent months has lacked any exciting changes happening at Fayetteville's
• significant link to that primay mission. Drake Field," the preface to the survey states.
Airport officials say they've booked things "In fact, we're working to make Drake Field the
like the March craft fair to simply keep the air- premier general aviation facility in Northwest
port financially aloft while searching for high- Arkansas. There's new management, new facil-
er altitudes, but such events have no doubt ities and a new attitude."
sent a distress signal to pilots and other avia- We hope that's true. We've had higher hopes
tion folks that the airport is in danger of losing since Mayor Dan Coody appointed Ray
its focus. Boudreaux airport manager after former man-
The board's decision to solicit ideas from ager Alett Little's departure. Boudreaux seemed
pilots is an idea with some lift. If there is one to enter his post with enthusiasm and confi-
constituency that should have a voice in the " dente in Drake Field's potential to thrive, and
direction of Drake Field — and if there's one the Airport Board appears to be genuinely
group of people who can make or break Drake's searching for ways the facility can take off.
chances at remaining a general aviation airport Peripheral events like last weekend's Airfest
— it's the private pilots in and around North- at the Arkansas Air Museum continue to bring
west Arkansas. Pilots very well might have people to Drake Field, for aviation- related
good suggestions for aviation-related enter- activities, and organizers said this year's festi-
prises at Drake Field, and have the power with- val drew record attendance.
in themselves to see it succeed if their ideas are But the board still has many challenges to
made to work. face, like making sure the city resists fuel price
The survey . is'' iniended`- to discover whal increases or higher hangar rentals that could
pilots within w 50-nille, radius -of Drake Fiel drive away customers. And so long as non-avi-
want in a general aviation < air
porU-9fficiaw, ation events and activities — like, alas, the
g*ope it will ,discovevibughly..how many ,pilotblo craft fair — are the most visible functions at
wn or lease aircraft, ,rhaw �ofteri :they propel ': Drake Field, the airport will continue to strug-
-themselves intro -Payetteville and what they gle against a perception of obsolescence.
enjoy most about•'otherairports they_currendy ,_ It therefore appears more marketing, like the
call home:. Pilots will also be asked;to gauge the :. kind admirably attempted in the pilot surveys,
level of service the}�iecelve aivtfieii currenf ali- may be just what Drake Field needs to reach
ports, esoeclallyr concerning„fuel service .and new heights.