Hangar paths to be widened

Officials are still waiting to hear whether Portland Municipal Airport has been approved for a runway extension. In the meantime, the facility will widen a pair of driveways to allow better use of two T-hangars.
Portland Board of Aviation on Wednesday approved widening one driveway by 10 feet and another by 5 feet in order to make them accessible to more planes.
The board also discussed the proposed runway extension, an agreement for snow removal and the possibility of adding pilot training at the facility.
Airport manager Hal Tavzel, who also owns Sonrise Aviation, brought the request for widening the driveways to the T-hangars.
He noted that his company has a Cessna 310 currently being stored in Huntington that he would like to bring to Portland but that the driveway to the available hangar is not wide enough to accommodate it. He said a private pilot made a similar request.
“I’m suggesting that the board would consider having that small amount of concrete work done to better accommodate a couple airplanes,” said Tavzel. “I’m just trying to fully utilize our facilities.”
The board approved widening the driveways, which are 30 feet long, at a cost of $2,100. The work is slated for sometime this spring.
Tavzel told board members Jim Runkle, Mike McKee and John Lyons that his company has purchased a 2014 Cirrus that will be stored at the airport. That will result in increased rent from Sonrise to the city.
He also told the board he has two pilots who are certified as flight instructors and he is working on getting a plane in order to offer lessons. The plane would come from a private owner from Kokomo through a lease agreement.
“That’s really the heart of general aviation and how you build an airport is training more pilots,” Tavzel said. “I’ve got a lot of people now asking who provides flight instruction, so we’re trying to get that plane here so we can start doing it.”
Jason Clearwaters of Butler, Fairman and Seufert, the airport’s engineering firm, reported that he had a conference call Jan. 9 with the FAA regarding the proposed runway extension. A decision on the extension is expected this month, but he had not heard from the FAA as of Wednesday’s meeting.
The FAA in August said it would not support the proposed extension, which would take the runway to 5,500 feet from the current 4,000. But city officials were granted an in-person meeting in September to plead their case and then provided additional information in November at the FAA’s request.
“We’re still waiting,” said Clearwaters. “As soon as I get something I’ll get that out to you. I think things are looking good.”

In other business, the board, absent Bob Sours:
•Elected McKee as president and Runkle as vice president for 2015.
•Learned from Tavzel that a contract has been reached with Dusty Howell for snow removal. He will be paid $75 per hour when using his smaller truck and $120 per hour when a larger truck is required.
•Approved sending the capital improvement plan for the airport for 2016 through 2020 to the Indiana Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration.
The report must be turned in by Feb. 2.
•Heard from Tavzel that fuel sales for December totaled 4,117 gallons at $18,384.72. That brought total sales to 45,749 gallons and $225,121.79 for 2014.
Sales thus far for January are 2,173 gallons for $9,000.60.
•Paid claims totaling $2,808.04, with most of the total going toward snow removal and repair of a hangar door.