March 16, 2023 at 4:51 p.m.
Board to seek grant
Funds would cover second phase of design of apron expansion
Board to seek grant
Portland Board of Aviation is moving forward with the next step toward expanding its apron.
Jason Clearwaters of engineering firm Butler, Fairman and Seufert explained to the board that it had already approved a pre-application for funding for the second phase of the apron expansion design in December. (The first phase of the design was completed in 2022.) He noted that no changes have been made to the official application, which is due to the Federal Aviation Administration by May 5.
Board members Faron Parr, John Ferguson and Caleb Lutes unanimously approved the application to be turned in to the FAA.
The apron expansion is part of the airport’s overall capital improvement plan. The goal is to complete the design for the expansion this year and accept bids for the work in early 2024.
The airport is also in the process of completing a wildlife hazard assessment.
The facility is expanding in other ways as well, as manager Hal Tavzel reported that the 25-foot-by-70-foot addition that will connect two of Sonrise Aviation’s current hangars is about 75% complete. He said his hope is to have it in use next month.
He also noted that the process of ordering supplies for Sonrise’s planned 80-foot-by-80-foot new hangar has begun. The goal is to start construction on that building this summer.
Clearwaters noted that the airport is continuing to experience issues with its precision approach path indicator, a safety device that provides pilots with a light projection pattern along the desired descent path to the touchdown point. He said repairs have been made multiple times in the last six months but the device is still not functioning properly.
He said he has contacted the supplier of the faulty equipment.
“We’ll continue to push on that,” he said.
“It is impacting the airport. It’s impacting safety.”
In other business, the board:
•Learned from Clearwaters that he and Tavzel gave a presentation earlier in the day at the 2023 Purdue Road School Transportation Conference and Expo. They spoke about the airport’s process of extending the airport’s runway to 5,500 feet from the previous 4,000 feet. The project was substantially completed in the fall.
•Heard from Tavzel that the airport sold 5,820 gallons of fuel in February for $29,259.56. That’s up from 4,053 gallons in February 2022.
•Decided not to seek bids to farm about 10 acres of land on the west end of the airport property. (The airport must maintain at least a 600-foot buffer from the end of the runway, but the rest of the land is eligible.) Diana Michael, who owns property in a horseshoe shape around that end of the airport, made a request regarding farming the area last month. Board members decided to pass this year in order to allow crews to complete the final aspects connected with the runway extension project but expressed a willingness to reconsider the request in 2024.
•Learned from Tavzel that concrete has been poured in three T-hangars.
Jason Clearwaters of engineering firm Butler, Fairman and Seufert explained to the board that it had already approved a pre-application for funding for the second phase of the apron expansion design in December. (The first phase of the design was completed in 2022.) He noted that no changes have been made to the official application, which is due to the Federal Aviation Administration by May 5.
Board members Faron Parr, John Ferguson and Caleb Lutes unanimously approved the application to be turned in to the FAA.
The apron expansion is part of the airport’s overall capital improvement plan. The goal is to complete the design for the expansion this year and accept bids for the work in early 2024.
The airport is also in the process of completing a wildlife hazard assessment.
The facility is expanding in other ways as well, as manager Hal Tavzel reported that the 25-foot-by-70-foot addition that will connect two of Sonrise Aviation’s current hangars is about 75% complete. He said his hope is to have it in use next month.
He also noted that the process of ordering supplies for Sonrise’s planned 80-foot-by-80-foot new hangar has begun. The goal is to start construction on that building this summer.
Clearwaters noted that the airport is continuing to experience issues with its precision approach path indicator, a safety device that provides pilots with a light projection pattern along the desired descent path to the touchdown point. He said repairs have been made multiple times in the last six months but the device is still not functioning properly.
He said he has contacted the supplier of the faulty equipment.
“We’ll continue to push on that,” he said.
“It is impacting the airport. It’s impacting safety.”
In other business, the board:
•Learned from Clearwaters that he and Tavzel gave a presentation earlier in the day at the 2023 Purdue Road School Transportation Conference and Expo. They spoke about the airport’s process of extending the airport’s runway to 5,500 feet from the previous 4,000 feet. The project was substantially completed in the fall.
•Heard from Tavzel that the airport sold 5,820 gallons of fuel in February for $29,259.56. That’s up from 4,053 gallons in February 2022.
•Decided not to seek bids to farm about 10 acres of land on the west end of the airport property. (The airport must maintain at least a 600-foot buffer from the end of the runway, but the rest of the land is eligible.) Diana Michael, who owns property in a horseshoe shape around that end of the airport, made a request regarding farming the area last month. Board members decided to pass this year in order to allow crews to complete the final aspects connected with the runway extension project but expressed a willingness to reconsider the request in 2024.
•Learned from Tavzel that concrete has been poured in three T-hangars.
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