Dry weather aids runway progress

Weather has mostly cooperated recently, allowing for Portland Municipal Airport’s runway project to gain some momentum.

John Speidel of engineering firm Butler, Fairman and Seufert reported to Portland Board of Aviation that there has been significant progress on the project over the course of the last month.

Work had come to a halt in mid-July, with the project shut down for an entire week because of rainy weather. Mother Nature has posed few problems since then.

Speidel, filling in for Jason Clearwaters, presented the board with an updated project schedule. Indianapolis firm HIS Constructors, which is handling the project, turned in the update Friday. It calls for leveling of the land furthest west of the existing runway to be complete by Sept. 1. (The original timeline projected completion by mid-to-late August.) The company will then shift its attention to the area nearest the current runway — it will have to be shortened during that time — with that leveling work expected to be complete by about Oct. 23.

The first phase of the runway extension, which is currently underway, involves leveling land west of the current runway and enclosing about 555 feet of Alexander Ditch at a total cost of $3.8 million, all of which is being funded by the Federal Aviation Administration. (Such projects are typically funded 90% by the FAA with 5% each from Indiana Department of Transportation and the city. Federal coronavirus relief funds in 2020 and ’21 were approved by the FAA to cover the state and local portions of the project.)

Aviation board members John Lyons, Faron Parr, Mitch Sutton and Clyde Bray approved paying HIS Constructors $239,703.10 for work completed in July.

Speidel also reported that the city’s application for an FAA grant to cover the second phase of the runway extension — it involves paving and lighting and is scheduled for 2022 — was turned in July 27. (It is expected to cost $1.4 million, with the FAA again expected to pick up the full tab because of coronavirus relief funding.) After receiving comments from the FAA, a revised application was submitted Aug. 13.

The extension will allow larger aircraft sufficient space to land and take off at the facility. A justification study in 2013 showed the airport could expect to nearly double its “operations” — take-offs and landings — if the runway was extended.

In other business, the board:

•Was reminded that the airport will host a fly-in and pancake breakfast Aug. 28. Breakfast will be available from 6 to 10 a.m. for $7. Airplane rides will be available for $20 from 6 a.m. to noon.

•Approved submitting a request for $22,000 that has been allocated for Portland Municipal Airport from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to cover coronavirus-related expenses.

•Heard from airport employee Matt Simmons, filling in for airport manager Hal Tavzel, that the airport sold 6,315.35 gallons of fuel in July for $24,734.62. Simmons also reported that concrete work in and around hangars was completed early this week.

•Learned from Speidel that the Aviation Indiana annual conference is scheduled for Oct. 12 through 14 in Michigan City.

•Paid claims totaling $5,559.23.