Airport fuel station plans taking shape

Plans for a new fueling station at Portland Municipal Airport have been revealed.
Members of the Portland Aviation Board reviewed plans Wednesday to build a new fueling station northwest of its current location. The new fueling station would have two 10,000-gallon tanks — one for jet fuel and the other for low lead fuel. The project is estimated to cost $422,000 and likely will be paid for through Non-Primary Entitlement funds awarded to the city annually by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The current fueling station is about 30 years old and located south of the terminal building. Plans call for the new fueling station to be built near the existing parking lot.
In order for the project to proceed, data for fuel sales for 2006-2010 and projected fuel sales must be submitted to the FAA. The data must show that the fueling station would pay for itself in revenue in at least 30 years. Mike Evans of Woolpert Inc. told board members that his projections show the revenue would pay for the new fueling station in about seven years. Evans said the study is complete and the data is ready for the FAA.
Between January of 2006 and December of 2010, 605,346.46 gallons of fuel were sold at the airport, Evans said. These figures reflect the amount of fuel that the late Dave Miller, who owned and operated Miller Aviation at the airport and had served as airport manager, purchased. He quit purchasing fuel at the airport after the city took control of fuel sales on Sept. 1.
Miller and a passenger were killed when his plane crashed in Pike County, Ky., on March 31.
When Miller was purchasing fuel, an average of 10,757.50 gallons of fuel was sold per month. Since then, sales have averaged 548 gallons per month. However, fuel sales increased slightly last month. In March, a total of
2,003.24 gallons of fuel was sold, compared to 164.74 gallons in February.
Evans said the study he prepared estimated how much fuel would be sold each year, based on past sales. He projects that $79,603.06 in fuel will be sold each year, with net revenue of $65,403.06.
Board member Jim Runkle questioned whether the fact that the future of Miller Aviation is uncertain would hurt the airport’s chances of funding the project with grant money. Before Miller’s death, city officials were in contract negotiations with Miller to serve as the airport’s fixed base operator.
“I’m worried about it,” Evans said. He said FAA officials have probably learned of Miller’s death by now. “While we had a tragic loss, the owner of the operation fully expects” to continue operating the business at the airport, he said. Miller aviation currently is being operated out of a hangar at the airport.
Board president Bob Sours said this morning that he believes fuel sales at the airport will remain strong and be enough to justify the fueling station project.
“I think they’ll maintain, anyway. We’re being very competitive on our (prices),” he said. “We’re continuing to market the airport at every opportunity and we hope Miller Aviation will bounce back.”
Bid-letting for the project is expected to begin in July.
In other business Wednesday, the board voted to donate $300 for the annual Fly-In/Drive-In and pancake breakfast event at the airport.
The event will be held this year during the last weekend in August, despite Miller’s death. In the past, the event raised money for Westchester United Methodist Church, of which Miller was a member. The proceeds will still benefit the church this year, Runkle said after the meeting.
Also Wednesday, board members:
•Learned that airport manager Hal Tavzel has asked for a raise.
Tavzel currently works 30 hours per week and is paid $24,900 a year. He asked for the raise because he has served as airport manager for a year. He did not specify how much of a raise he would like.
Board members discussed the possibility of doing semiannual reviews of his work performance and will discuss the raise further at a future meeting.
•Learned that the start of the taxiway reconstruction project has been delayed by the weather is now expected to begin May 21 and take two weeks to complete.
Lica Construction will remove and replace part of the taxiway. The rest will just be milled and paved. The project largely is being funded through NPE funds.
•Decided to take a $62,430 contract with Woolpert under advisement.
The contract is for work to design the new fueling station. Board member Glynn Barber suggested that board members review the contract and vote on it at a future meeting. The company would be charge about $80 per hour for 784 hours of work.
•Approved two pay requests from Woolpert Inc.
One is for $1,405 for the taxiway reconstruction project and the other is $5,303.50 for the new terminal building planning.
The city pays 3.75 percent because the projects are being partially funded through NPE money from the FAA. The city will pay a total of $251.65.[[In-content Ad]]