Fuel justification underway

Work to justify a new fueling station at Portland Municipal Airport has taken flight.
Members of the Portland Aviation Board learned Wednesday that Mike Evans of Woolpert Inc. is gathering figures to present to the Federal Aviation Administration. The city must show the FAA how much fuel was sold in the last five years and use the figures to project future fuel sales. City clerk-treasurer Randy Geesaman provided information about past fuel sales to Evans.
Those numbers reflect a sharp drop-off in the volume of fuel flowing through city-owned pumps at the airport since Miller Aviation began purchasing its fuel from other sources September 1.
Evans said the city must show that future fuel sales would generate enough money to pay for the project in the next 10 years. The project, which is next that board members would like to see come to fruition, is expected to cost $422,000.
Between January 2006 and August of 2010, 602,420 gallons of fuel were sold at the airport. This reflects the amount of fuel purchased by Dave Miller, owner of Miller Aviation and former airport fixed base operator. Evans said about 90 percent of the fuel sold at the airport in the last five years was 100 Low Lead fuel.
The city took over fuel sales at the airport on Sept. 1. Prior to that time, Miller trucked in the fuel and used some for his airplanes and sold the rest to pilots. Since Sept. 1, he has just been trucking in the fuel he needs and has not purchased any from the city, airport manager Hal Tavzel said this morning. Tavzel replaced Miller as airport manager in April.
Fuel sales at the airport appear to have dropped off since the city took over the sales. Between Sept. 1, 2010, and Feb. 28 of this year, 3,288 gallons in fuel have been sold. Before the city took over fuel sales, an average of 10,757.50 gallons of fuel was sold per month. Since that time, sales have averaged 548 gallons per month.
Evans said after the meeting that he is confident that fuel sales at the airport will generate enough money in 10 years to pay for the new fueling station. He said city officials are hoping to reach an agreement with former airport fixed base operator Dave Miller or have another FBO in the future.
Tavzel said there currently is a contract on the table for Miller to pay a 10 cent fuel flowage fee if he purchases fuel from the city.
Plans call for a new above ground fuel storage and dispensing system. Currently, fuel is stored in underground tanks that are more than 30 years old. Board members plan to use Non Primary Entitlement funds granted by the FAA for the project.
In a related matter, Tavzel said Wednesday that fuel sales at the airport have improved this month.
He said that in the last two weeks, about $2,000 in fuel was sold. He said this could be contributed to the fact that the weather has improved and that he is keeping the price competitive and posting it on several aviation Web sites.
In February, 164.74 gallons ($718.91) in fuel was sold. In January, $832.62 in 100 Low Lead fuel was sold.
Also Wednesday, board members:
•Learned that the terminal building at the airport flooded on Feb. 28.
Tavzel said a half-inch to an inch of water got into the building. Wendel’s Carpet Upholstery and Floor Cleaning, Portland, cleaned the carpets and the carpeting will not have to be replaced, Tavzel said.
•Learned that the taxiway reconstruction project is expected to begin in late April.
Evans said the project is expected to take two weeks to complete. Lica Construction will remove and replace part of the taxiway and the rest will be milled and paved. Lica’s contract is for $154,727. The work is largely paid for through NPE funds.[[In-content Ad]]