HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-05-12 MinutesFAYETTEVILLE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT -DRAKE FIELD
AIRPORT BOARD MINUTES
May 12, 2011
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Bob Nickle, Otto Loewer, Tim McCarley, Rick
Bailey, Josh Mahony
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Janice Stanesic, Mike Gibbs
STAFF PRESENT: Ray Boudreaux, James Nicholson, Louise Powers
OTHERS PRESENT: Russ Smith -Flying Investments; Wayne Jones -McClelland
Engineers; George Scott -tenant; Joel Walsh -NW Arkansas Times; Frank Sperandeo-
tenant; Ty Rogers -Fayetteville Government Channel
ITEM #1: Welcome. Chairman Bob Nickle welcomed all attending and explained
Board Member Mike Gibbs would not be attending from China by way of Skype today as
the internet in the terminal building is down.
A motion to approve the minutes was made by Rick Bailey and seconded by Tim
McCarley. The motion carried.
ITEM #3 Receiving of Reports.
A. Director Boudreaux, Aviation Director. Explained that April had been
disappointing in terms of aircraft operations and fuel sales. as there had. been. eighteen
inches of rain. The State Aeronautics Department has requested we try to get our grants
closed out by June so they won't have to carry any over to their new year. The Aviators
Ball at the Air Museum is this Saturday night and he had tickets for sale, a meal and
dancing to the Jack Mitchell Band. Our FAA Airport Certification Inspector was here
this week and there was only one write up and it was something two years ago for the
Fire Department. Called attention to his report in the agenda and the item on our newest
air traffic controller; he is from Austin, Texas and is a musician. Please welcome him to`
the Airport.
B. Financial Coordinator James Nicholson, Budget Report. The trend is lagging
behind last year, with two weeks of rain in April. The bright spot is the increase in
military operations, we have them in several times a week and they are buying fuel.
Million Air now has a military fuel contract. Fuel purchases by itinerant jets and the
military are showing upward trends. The fuel prices are going up, Rogers raised their
fuel price by $1.00 for Low Lead. Million Air lowered their AvGas price today, it is now
$6.39, but their prices are still slightly higher than the other airports in the region.
Referencing the Financial Page, he said the Airport is $24,750 on the positive side,
although a couple of heavy expenses will be hitting our budget, one is an insurance
payment of $10,000. Director Boudreaux told of attending the State Aeronautics Meeting
in Berryville last week and we were awarded a $144,000 (80%) grant for the airport
security project. It will provide new entries to the airfield, lighting, control gates, cameras
for the fuel farm, the self serve fuel farm and all gates. There have not been any
problems here but it is better to be pro -active than to be re -active.
C. Senior Secretary Louise Powers, T -Hangar Report. Reported there is one
vacancy, but two will be coming available at the end of May. We are renting the T -
Hangars for storage, but if an aircraft owner rents a T -Hangar for one year we will give
them one month free rent.
D. Wayne Jones, McClelland Engineers, Construction Report. Stated they are
wrapping up all the paperwork on the project, verifying all details. He had brought the
Airport Plan set for Ray's final review before sending it to the FAA before the end of
May. James Nicholson said the grant work is squeezed for time, if it goes over the time
limit then we will have to apply for an amendment to the grant. Director Boudreaux said
he hoped we could get the info to the State Aeronautics by the 15`h, and them approve
their 5% before submitting to the FAA. Wayne said they had submitted plans to the
Arkansas Highway Department and had made the changes they had requested and they
are ready to resubmit. They are ready to issue the Notice to Proceed with the security
project, and it should be ready to bid by the end of June. The airport's system will be
similar to the security system for all schools in Fayetteville. The system should be up
and running by the end of October. The FAA SW Region Conference is scheduled for
early November. Director Boudreaux said they hope to have two projects ready to
present to the FAA in November: (1) the terminal apron; (2) rejuvenate—seal the runway
and the painting of twenty-two signs on the taxiways, a new requirement from the FAA
Certification Alert. Our FAA Certification Inspector said they had to be in place by
September of next year. There is no way the Airport can afford to take care of that so we
will request a grant. Our Cert. Inspector said our taxiway signs are getting old, and she
prefers a different brand than what we have, saying our brand works better up north, they
fade out in the south. Our signs are on the FAA's approved list of providers. Answering
questions about the security system, it will store images up to 72 hours and then start
recording over. The initial badging system will be handled as part of the security project.
If someone loses a badge then it will be their responsibility to pay for replacing the
badge. Gate codes will not be as readily available as they now are, tenants won't be able
to just give them out to twenty of their friends.
ITEM #4: Old Business.
A. Report: FAA Airport Certification Inspection. Previously discussed.
B. Report: Security Project Grant. Previously discussed.
ITEM #5: New Business.
A. Strategic Planning Discussion. Chairman Nickle presented an idea to think about,
using the insurance money received for the burned hangar to pay down the City loan for
the hangars, which would help the Airport's cash flow. Airport Staff prepared chart of
the current payment schedule and also showed two alternate options, showing the
benefits, supporting Chairman Nickle's idea. (Note: This chart was handed out during
the meeting and can be found at the end of the minutes.) It was decided to have this item
on the June Agenda, giving the Board a month to consider the idea. Ideas were presented
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to draw more people to the airport: Bring the Young Professional of the Chamber of
Commerce to the Airport to get them used to the idea that the Airport is an important part
of economic development of the community; to involve Continuing Education; work
towards having a ground school through the University of Arkansas or through the
ROTC; to create public awareness; look into having a Flying Club; to have a quarterly, or
monthly, interactive Bulletin Board by Twitter where our tenants could interact with
Airport Staff with any questions or suggestions and get responses from staff. Otto
Loewer said there are all kinds of ways to generate interest in the Airport, but they won't
be generating revenue, that hanging on, maybe is the best we can do, which is not bad
because then you are around when things begin to change. He said he didn't think we
have reached our potential; we need to link to research, to education, making it known we
are a transportation hub. Director Boudreaux said he had developed a power point
presentation about the Airport and he could present it, or the Board Members could
borrow it for presentations. That Fayetteville needs to consider this airport as an asset,
with easy access from the airport to anyplace in town, as well as being known as a City
with trails. It was mentioned that with the new the new security project we would be
isolating the community more from the Airport. Josh Mahony mentioned the "Rock the
Runway" fashion show at the Air Museum on May 190'. It will be benefiting the Single
Parent Scholarship Fund NWA. Being an FAA Part 139 Airport costs money, it costs
more to operate this Airport than other local general aviation airports. Frank Sperandeo
and George Scott both suggested reducing the price of fuel, saying that would encourage
more pilots to fly, and George suggested having hot dog events for pilots on the Airport,
as Drake Field is a good practice field with a tower. Director Boudreaux said the
Administration Office would support and offer help within our means, we don't have a
budget for those things. Chairman Nickle suggested having a Tower Practice Day and
have a drawing to give away $100 of fuel. He also suggested the pilots talk to their circle
of friends and when they are participating in Young Eagle events or other Airport events
using fuel, to ask them to support their efforts with a donation of $10 or $20 to buy the
fuel. The self serve pricing formula was discussed, the size of the AvGas tank -1,000
gallons, frequency of filling the tank and if used more maybe a larger tank could be
purchased getting a better price on the fuel purchased from a distributor.
ITEM #6: Other Business.
A. Items from the Public. Frank Sperandeo asked the Board to consider three things:
(1) Roll back T -hangar rent to the 2008 level; (2) To keep the T -hangar rentals the same
amount for the next four years; (3) Any combination of the previous two suggestions.
B. Items from the Airport Board. To remember to attend the Aviators Ball and the
Fashion Show at the Air Museum, mentioned the AAOA Conference in October in
Springdale. For the Board Members to be thinking about going, as money would not be
spent money on a hotel room, there might be some money available for registration. It is
a good opportunity to network with other Arkansas airport personnel, commissioners, and
mayors.
Meeting adjourned at 3:14 p.m.
Otto Loewer, Secretary
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