Facility offered to Civil Air Patrol

Portland Municipal Airport could become a meeting space for a branch of Civil Air Patrol. 

Portland Board of Aviation members extended an invitation to a Hartford City-based branch of the organization, which is the civilian auxiliary of the Air Force. 

It also updated its minimum standards for use of the airport for special activities. 

Civil Air Patrol’s purpose is to provide search and rescue and disaster relief. It also educates the public about aviation and provides cadet programs for students. 

The Civil Air Patrol chapter in Hartford City offers a cadet program for students aged 12 and older. Youth involved in the program learn about leadership and the history and mechanics of aerospace and are trained in emergency services. 

While the goal isn’t to promote military service, the program teaches children honor and dedication, the squadron’s leaders said in a presentation to the board Wednesday. It follows Air Force guidelines and rules and cadets are able to achieve leadership positions. 

Currently, the chapter meets once a week at the Hartford City armory. 

However, it has been looking for a new location with more space and availability. 

The board invited the Civil Air Patrol to hold its meetings at Portland’s airport. There would be room to teach classes and hold emergency service training sessions, and the group could possibly use the runway if needed. 

“I would do anything to encourage young people getting interested in aviation,” said board president John Lyons. “It’s fun, and it’s interesting, and it’s a pretty good career if you get to that point.” 

The squadron has 21 cadets and 10 senior members of the organization. Many of the students are Jay County residents.

Also Wednesday, the board adopted a revised set of minimum standards for aeronautical activity at the airport. 

It lays out guidelines for use of the airport, including a timeline for requesting a special event, safeguards that must be in place such as damage bonds and insurance policies, and that the board may charge for use of airport equipment. It also makes clear that the airport may not be closed for anything that is not an aeronautical activity. 

The minimum standards were drawn up after airport manager Hal Tavzel consulted with other similarly sized airports and the city’s attorney. 

“I reviewed four different airports and I was comfortable with this,” Tavzel said. “It gives you latitude to make decisions for these events.” 

In other business, board members Dick Baldauf, Mitch Sutton, Faron Parr and Lyons: 

•Heard that there has been no word yet on whether Portland has received a share of $1 billion in supplemental funding designated for rural airports.

The money would be used to pay to extend the runway from 4,000 feet to 5,500 feet. 

Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman told the board he heard from Sen. Todd Young’s office that Federal Aviation Administration has to make a decision by June 3 about this year’s funding. Young’s office provided a letter of support for Portland’s airport.

•Selected a bid for a mower and a finishing mower from Affolder Implement Sales. A used 2012 72-inch mower with 362 hours will be $7,750, and a new Land Pride finishing mower with a five-year warranty will be $2,495. They were the lowest-priced machines out of bids from Affolder, Kenn-Feld Group and Koenig Equipment. 

•Approved a payment of $731.73 for continued work on the second phase of the runway extension design. 

•Accepted a bid from TJ’s Concrete & Excavation for drainage work around hangars 20 and 21 and Sonrise Aviation’s hangar for $4,198.50.

•Heard that the airport sold 5,632 gallons of fuel in April for $21,411.18. In the same month last year, it sold 6,182 gallons for $24,170.98.

•Paid claims of $3,070.06.