HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-01-13 MinutesMINUTES
FAYETTEVILLE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT BOARD MEETING
January 13, 2011
MEMBERS PRESENT: Bob Nickle, Otto�er, Janice Stanesic, David Hollman, Tim McCarley, Mike
Gibbs, Rick Bailey
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STAFF PRESENT: Ray Boudreaux, James Nicholson, Louise Powers
OTHERS PRESENT: MaryKathryn Floyd -Million Air; Charles Caldwell -tenant, Wayne Jones -McClelland
Engineers; Russell Smith -Flying Investments (tenant); Vaughn DeCoster-EAA Chapter #732; Joshua Mahony-
EAM, LLC (tenant); Joel Walsh -Northwest Arkansas Times; Terry Gulley -City of Fayetteville; Warren Jones -
Arkansas Air Museum
ITEM #1: Chairman Nickle
WELCOME: Expressed the Board's appreciation of David Hollman's term on the Airport Board, explaining
David has moved out of Fayetteville and has resigned from the Airport Board. He is sitting in with the Board
until replaced, but will not vote.
INTRODUCTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS: Rick Bailey and Mike Gibbs.
Rick said he was happy to be on the Board. Drake Field has been his home airport. He retired from the
military two years ago. Flys for Graceflight, has flown two this month and one scheduled for next
month. There are 31 Graceflight pilots in Arkansas and they fly free of charge. He is a member of the
Lions Club.
Mike said he was excited to be part of the Board. Said his family is involved in aviation, his dad, uncles
and cousins are pilots. He doesn't have a current pilot license, but will become current. Was in business
here and now in education, and is the past President of the Rotary Club.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS:
Tim McCarley nominated Bob Nickle for Chairman, Janice Stanesic as Vice Chairman, and Otto Loewer
as Secretary.
Mike Gibbs moved to cease nominations and was seconded by Rick Bailey. The motion carried. New
Airport Board Officers are as follows:
Chairman: Bob Nickle
Vice Chairman: Janice Stanesic
Secretary: Otto Loewer
ITEM #2: Approval of the minutes of the December 9. 2010 meeting.
A motion to approve the minutes was made by Tim McCarley and seconded by Rick Bailey. The motion
carried.
ITEM #3: Receiving of Reports.
A. Wayne Jones, McClelland Engineers. Presentation: Task Order South End Obstruction Project.
Asked to have his item first as he has to leave early for a Little Rock meeting. The Avigation Easement Task
Order is ready and on the agenda. Some trees may need to be cut clear down, which may affect the cost of the
easements. The south mountain will need to be re -lighted. The fencing material is in to complete the 8 ft. fence
all the way back to the Arkansas Air Museum and installation has been delayed due to the cold weather.
B. Director Boudreaux, Annual Report 2010. A copy of the "End of the Year Report 2010" is attached to the
minutes. The Board asked Director Boudreaux to present the report to the City Council and he requested the
Airport Board also be present.
C. Financial Coordinator James Nicholson, Budget Report. Displayed the charts and graphs on the screen
and discussed their impact. Military operations are on an upward trend, others down 10%, fuel sales are down.
Cost of fuel is going up. MaryKathryn Floyd said she would be attending a military conference, and a
schedulers and dispatchers conference, where Million Air would be a vendor. They are working to attract
charter businesses. There is easy access to Highway 540. James explained the numbers shown in the Financial
Report are not final end of the year numbers from City Accounting Office. The Cash Balance is estimated at
$955,542 and asked the Board to remember $350,000 will be set aside from the total for the insurance fund for
hangar replacement. Airport's goal is to have $500,000 in the Airport Cash Balance. Chairman Nickle
commended the staff on their hard work.
D. Senior Secretary Lou Powers, T -Hangar Report. There are some vacancies, one twin unit and three
smaller units.
E. Museum Executive Director Warren Jones, Museum report. Announced the Women in Aviation will
have their January meeting next Tuesday. The museum's traffic count is way down. A water leak flooded the
library carpet, thanked Ray and staff for cleaning it up, there was no major damage. The B-17 is scheduled here
in October. Fayetteville will celebrate this year, the 100'" Anniversary of the first flight in Fayetteville. We
have contacted the Snowbirds but have not heard back from them. The Museum staff is working on the
Aviator's Ball, with a big band, and will RSVP notices to all retired military.
ITEM #4: Old Business.
A. McClelland Engineering Task Order for South End Obstruction Project. Director Boudreaux said the
Board had approved last month to proceed with the design. Task Order design is $50,000, and other costs bring
the estimated total project cost to $259,500. That will cover appraisals, review appraisals, easement purchases,
obstacle removal and administrative costs.
A motion to approve Task Order #4 with McClelland Engineers, and submit to the City Council the Task
Order and the application to the FAA and State Aeronautics Commission for grant funding, to complete
the avigation easement project was made by Rick Bailey and seconded by Tim McCarley. The motion
carried.
B. Discussion: Annual Report to the City Council. Director Boudreaux will have the report ready for the
City Council agenda in February, with pictures, and requested all the Board members attend that meeting.
ITEM #5: New Business.
A. Board Priorities for 2011. Director Boudreaux said the State Legislature is in session and one of their
items is the appropriations for the State Aeronautics. He encouraged everyone to contact them and request they
increase the amount they approve. The money is there, it was generated by taxes on aviation fuel and aviation
equipment and aircraft sales. The Commission can only spend up to the amount approved by the Legislature.
The Airport's Facebook was discussed with several Board members and members from the audience saying they
look at the Airport's Facebook daily and expressed their approval. Mike Gibbs said James has done good work.
Josh Mahony said everyone loves pictures of aircraft. Charles Caldwell said you can find him flying his plane
on You Tube. Several projects were mentioned: The security project was approved by the City Council but the
State Aeronautics couldn't fund the project; and the Ramp repair. Having a Strategic Planning Meeting was
discussed, with the Board Members agreeing it would be a good idea.
ITEM #6. Other Business.
A. Items from Public None.
B. Items from the Airport Board. None.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 2:52 p.m.
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Attachment: End of Year Report 2010 Fayetteville Executive Airport, Drake Field.
END OF YEAR REPORT 2010
FAYETTEVILLE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, DRAKE FIELD
2010 was a good year and a not so good year. Activity was
down, revenue was down, occupancy, rates were down, sales
were down and all of our based businesses were under a great
deal of stress due to a nation wide industry downturn.
Airport staff tightened the screws and kept spending below
revenues and ended the year in the black for the third year in
a row, operational revenues over expenses, evidence the
Airport Cash Balance increased 2009-2010. The City
Council approved a resolution to refinance our loan for two
corporate hangars allowing us to reduce the monthly rent
amount to help our two largest tenants while keeping budget
revenue relatively unchanged. Our First Class FBO, Million
Air, Fayetteville agreed to a five year contract renewal with
very few changes to the original contract provisions and
performed with excellence throughout the year highlighted
by the successful contract negotiations with the Defense
Energy Support Center for fuel sales to military and
government aircraft at Drake Field. Military activity has
'increased significantly since the contract was approved.
Our First Class FAA Part 141 flight school also agreed to
renew their contract for office space and their corporate
hangar with very few changes to the original agreement. The
Airport Board agreed to lease T Hangars for storage to keep
the revenue coming in. From a high of nine empty hangars,
we are down to four empty. The Board also agreed to lease
the former school hangar for large vehicle storage which
helps us pay the heating bill for the building. Wings Avionics
renewed their contract and continue have good business from
local and out of state customers. Aviation Maintenance
Professionals became Devol Aviation and continues to grow
their business. Ross Executive Aviation continues to show
signs of growth and A Fare to Remember met their end of the
year goals and has developed new catering customers at our
airports in Northwesf Arkansas.
Our based businesses are positioned well to be able to
maximize their opportunities as the industry recovers in
2011. The Airport made significant progress in 2010 toward
achieving its vision to "Lead Fayetteville and Northwest
Arkansas with strategic and innovative aviation services and
solutions designed to foster economic growth and commerce
in an ever changing environment" as we completed the first
major project in our infrastructure upgrade. The Runway 16
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Safety Area Improvement Project completed this year made a
significant improvement in the approach from the North not
only for aircraft but for the public as they crest the hill and
approach Drake Field. The realigned roadway gives the
surface traffic a wide birth and the aircraft traffic an
uncluttered approach to the runway. We are already working
on new and improved instrument approaches from the North
and hope to have at least the new LPV with vertical guidance
in place this year. Correcting the only airport safety
deficiency positioned us to be able to request a runway
extension in the future as operations of the critical aircraft
approach 500 annually.
Loomacres Wildlife Management Inc. began an FAA
required Wildlife Hazard Assessment of our airport in 2010.
This FAA and State Aeronautics funded project will result in
a Management Plan to be used to eliminate hazards to flight
on and near the airport. Ouf maintenance team already keeps
a watchful eye on wildlife hazards and eliminates hazards
when possible but a formal plan with proactive measures will
help improve the safety of the airfield as it pertains to
wildlife in the Natural State.
Arkansas Aeronautics Commission approved a grant to
improve the inventory management and overfill protection
systems of the airport fuel farm. This vital safety project
upgraded the fuel farm safety systems which insure pure
product for our customers and accurate inventory for Million
Air Fayetteville our Fixed Base Operator.
The Airport staff was able to upgrade the airport web pages
on the City of Fayetteville website. We were also able to
start a presence on Face Book a social networking site.
James Nicholson led this effort and now manages our
presence to respond and post promptly and to keep
information fresh and accurate.
We are planning on better numbers for 2011. All industry
forecasts indicate slow but steady recovery beginning this
year and our area of the country was slow to feel the
downturn and should be fast to feel the improvement. We
have several projects to work in the new year. We will
design and complete a project to remove approach path
obstructions on the south end of the airport. FAA has
indicated that the project could receive funding this year. We
will work with the FAA terminal approach folks to get the
new instrument approached published for Runway 16. We
may have located a glide slope in storage that we could
install to make our localizer approach a full ILS approach.
We will continue to pursue a scheduled charter operation
between Drake and Little Rock to support our business
community. We will design a project to repair the pavement
on the Terminal Apron which is deteriorating badly but must
include drainage improvements to avoid flooding the
Terminal Building.
We must improve our public perception in 2011 and will
work with the Airport Board and the aviation community to
host events and projects that will receive wide public
approval and acknowledgement of the economic, recreation,
transportation and disaster support contributions of their
airport. We will work hard to increase revenues and keep
expenses down.
In summary, we have a number of challenges ahead. The
aviation business has taken a big hit during this economic
downturn, evidenced by the fact that our aircraft operations
in 2010 were the lowest in a decade. A number of T -Hangar
tenants sold their aircraft and consequently our operating
revenue was less due to vacancies. We are fortunate that we
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have a solid base of small aircraft owners who choose to
operate from Drake Field and that all of our based businesses
are top-of-the-line performers. Our aviation Museums are
immeasurable historic and educational assets to the region,
and they have managed modest growth of their collections
and service to the community while facing dwindling
financial resources. The economic environment of the past
few years has caused all of us considerable stress in our
mutual goal of sustaining this superior aviation facility. Our
biggest task in 2011 is to do our part in helping our Drake
Field commercial and not-for-profit entities succeed and to
position ourselves for the future by providing the best
maintained, most attractive, and most customer -service
oriented GA airport in the region
We believe that our airport is positioned well for the future
and look to our Board, our partners, and our customers for
help as we work to be the best we can be.
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