Grant information is expected soon

Portland Board of Aviation hopes to hear about funding for the second phase of its runway extension project within the next week.

If the money is approved, the next steps are already in place.

Board of aviation members on Wednesday approved both accepting the Federal Aviation Administration grant for the project, if it is offered, and awarding the contract to Milestone Contractors.

Portland Municipal Airport is in the midst of a long-planned project to extend its runway to 5,500 feet from the current 4,000 feet. The first phase of that work — leveling the land west of the current runway and enclosing a portion of Alexander Ditch — are underway and expected to be complete by the end of October.

The second phase of the project, which involves paving and lighting, is scheduled for next year, with the FAA expected to provide full funding. (Typically such projects are paid 90% by the FAA, with 5% each coming from the state and municipality. Because of COVID-19 relief money, the FAA paid for the entirety of the first phase of the project and is expected to do the same for the second.)

The aviation board submitted its grant request for funding the $3.27-million second phase of the project on July 27 and resubmitted with some FAA-requested adjustments on Aug. 13. They have not heard anything since, which Jason Clearwaters of engineering firm Butler, Fairman and Seufert said he believes is a good sign.

“I really think any day we’re gong to see it,” he said of the response from the FAA.

Anticipating that possibility, board members John Lyons, Faron Parr and Clyde Bray, absent Mitch Sutton, approved accepting the FAA grant if it is offered. They then approved awarding the $2.9-million contract for the bulk of the work to Milestone Contractors, contingent on the FAA funding coming through.

Clearwaters said that assuming the grant is approved, the extended airport runway could be in use by late summer or early fall 2022.

The board also approved paying $346,597.27 to Indianapolis firm HIS Constructors, which is handling the first phase of the project, for work completed between Aug. 7 and Sept. 3.

Clearwaters reminded the board that its updated capital improvement plan will need to be approved by its January meeting in order to meet the Feb. 1 submission deadline for the FAA. He said the board may need to look at adjusting the plan — apron renovation and expansion as the next major item in the plan — following an incident at the airport in June.

According to a report filed with the FAA, a CESSNA 310 aircraft struck a deer while landing at the airport on June 18. The plane then veered off the runway and into the ditch. No injuries were reported, but damage to the aircraft owned by Sonrise Aviation was listed as “severe.”

Clearwaters said both he and Lyons have been in contact with the FAA and that the federal agency would like the facility to look into wildlife safety. The first step in the process would be to conduct a hazard assessment next year. 

That assessment would result in a recommendation from the FAA, which could include putting a fence around the airport to prevent further issues with wildlife on the runway, Clearwaters said.

If a fence is recommended, that may impact the next steps in the facility’s capital improvement plan.

The board took no action on the issue Wednesday, but plans to discuss next steps at its October meeting.

In other business, the board:

•Heard from airport manage Hal Tavzel that the airport sold 6,434 gallons of fuel in August for $25,275.71. That’s up slightly from 6,080 gallons of fuel in August 2019.

•Was reminded by Clearwaters that the Aviation Indiana conference is scheduled for Oct. 12 through 14 in Michigan City.

•Learned from Tavzel that the airport’s fly-in on the final Saturday of August brought in several hundred visitors for breakfast. About 70 individuals took advantage of the opportunity to go on an airplane ride.