Hangar complete

A new hangar is in operation.

Portland Board of Aviation learned during a brief meeting Wednesday that construction of a new Sonrise Aviation hangar at the east end of Portland Municipal Airport is complete.

Matt Simmons, an airport employee, shared airport manager Hal Tavzel’s report that the new hangar is complete with all utilities functioning and now typically houses three planes. 

Tavzel, who is also an owner of Sonrise, announced plans in summer 2022 for a new 80-foot-by-80-foot hangar. (It was in addition to a 25-foot-by-70-foot hangar expansion to connect two existing hangars.) He explained that the business had outgrown its previous space and needed more room for equipment, engine building and storage.

The new hangar would be used to store larger planes — turboprops and small jets — which he expected to be in more demand with the completion of the airport’s runway extension project later that year.

Sonrise was approved for $75,000 in funding for the project from Portland Redevelopment Commission, passed through Portland Economic Development Corporation, in December 2022. Construction began in the fall.

Also Wednesday, Jason Clearwaters of engineering firm Butler, Fairman & Seufert reported that the runway end indicator lights at the airport have been replaced.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been contacted regarding a flight check, which he said he is hopeful will happen soon. (The lights had been an issue since the completion of the runway extension project.)

He noted that he has reached out to city attorney Wes Schemenaur regarding the process of closing out the FAA grant for the first phase of the runway extension project. (It has been held up because of ongoing litigation between the property owners who provided fill dirt for the project and Indianapolis firm HIS Constructors. The city is also named in the suit.)

Clearwaters said the airport has not yet received any comments from the FAA regarding its wildlife hazard assessment.

Board members Faron Parr, Clyde Bray and Caleb Lutes, absent John Ferguson, approved the final FAA grant pay request and close out for the wildlife assessment and the first phase of the apron expansion design at a total of $3,250.

In other business, the board:

•Learned the airport sold 2,742 gallons of fuel in January for $18,987.16.

•Heard from airport employee Matt Simmons that preparations are being made for visitors for the April 8 solar eclipse.

•Learned a telephone wire for the airport’s automated weather observing system (AWOS) will be replaced when conditions allow.

•Was reminded the airport will host the Aviation Indiana quarterly meeting Aug. 8.

•Paid $3,628.38 in claims.