Apron plans confirmed

Plans are to move forward with expanding the airport apron.

Portland Board of Aviation on Wednesday approved sending a letter of intent to the Federal Aviation Administration to use federal funding for an apron expansion project at Portland Municipal Airport.

The letter of intent informs the FAA of the city’s intent to use its federal entitlement funding for the project. Leftover funds from 2023 and the airport’s allotment for this year come to about $262,480.

Katie England of Butler, Fairman & Seufert, the airport’s engineering firm, said the project will likely exceed the amount of federal funding available. (It is expected to go out for bid this spring.) She suggested state dollars and federal infrastructure bill funds as possible sources for additional funding.

Also Wednesday, board members Faron Parr, John Ferguson, Clyde Bray and Caleb Lutes approved FAA grant pay requests of $7,117.56 for the apron expansion design and $9,050 for the wildlife hazard assessment. England noted that the assessment, which indicates a need for a wildlife fence around the airport, will be submitted to the FAA. (Construction of a fence is set for 2028 in the airport’s capital improvement plan.)

In other business, the board:

•Was reminded that the airport is scheduled to host the Aviation Indiana quarterly meeting on Aug. 15. England said Butler, Fairman & Seufert will assist with the planning of the event.

•Heard the airport sold 6,002 gallons of fuel in December for $27,992.13. That’s down slightly from 6,115 gallons in December 2022.

•Re-elected Parr as president and Ferguson as vice president.