Airport getting ready for air race, air show

 

Marione Martin

At the Monday meeting, Airport Commission Chair Dale Logsdon (left) asks a question of Jeremy C. Weiland, PE, of Garver (standing right) about an upcoming taxiway project. Clockwise from Logsdon around the table are board members Caleb Mosburg, Kelly Parker, Terry Turner and Paul Kinzie. Airport Manager Tyson Tucker is seated with back to camera, and City Business Manager Joe Don Dunham is seated near the door.

About 30 people attended a meeting for volunteers to help with the air race and air show to be held at the Alva Regional Airport. Events will be held Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday starting on June 19. April Mills told the Alva Airport Commission Monday that several have taken the online briefings so far.

Airport board member Paul Kinzie is working on a volunteer waiver for the show based on those used at the annual car show in Alva. He's going to have the city attorney check before it is put in use.

Mills said briefings have been held with Alva emergency services of police, ambulance and fire to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Several groups who will be in Alva at the same time are planning trips to the airport during the time period of the race and air show including Camp Ranger and the Gulp and Gallop children's lunch group. At least one Oklahoma City TV channel is planning to cover the event as well as several newspapers.

Check the Wings over the Prairie page on Facebook for updates as well as local media.

Related to that week of events, the Alva Airport Commission voted approval of a discount of 10 cents per gallon on aviation fuel to all customers June 19-23.

Recently the board agreed on a company to do some repairs and painting on the exterior of the airport terminal building. They have learned the company's owner suffered a major health crisis and will be unable to do the work. Monday they accepted the bid from another company, Kathy's Painting, for up to $4,900. Kathy's expects to start on the work quickly so it can be done before the air show week.

Manager's Report

Airport Manager Tyson Tucker reported fuel sales for April were "very good" setting a record going back through about January 2016. He said he has received lots of positive feedback from pilots coming through about the Alva airport.

City employee Derrick Courson has filled in on weekends since the part-time employee quit. Tucker said one weekend three Blackhawks came in for fuel. Tucker has found a new part-time employee, Greg Robinson of Wichita, who has helped at the Alva airport before. He has been looking for an opportunity to move back to this area.

New logbooks have been set up for all airport vehicles. A lot of them have been serviced recently. Tucker said he hopes to stay on top of maintenance better.

He said his goal is to have the airport looking nice for the air show. He recently found two new flags to display on the flagpoles.

About 90 kindergartners visited the airport in two groups. One group was able to see some planes flying in and out. Tucker said he answered "a million questions." All the students were given a stick airplane and invited back to the air show.

Board Chair Dale Logsdon and Mayor Kelly Parker said they've heard lots of praise for Tucker. Logsdon said Tucker made special trips to the airport at night to make sure aircraft fighting recent fires could get fuel in Alva.

Other Business

City Business Manager Joe Don Dunham went through figures for next year's budget. The airport budget is based on averaging previous budget figures with totals very close to those of the current year. After a few questions, the budget was approved.

Garver, LLC engineer Jeremy Weiland was present to answer questions about the next major construction project at the airport on the terminal apron and taxiway improvements. A lot of questions were directed his way.

The first came from Terry Turner who wanted to know why Garver was on this project. He thought the design work should have been put out for bids. Weiland explained that most airports have five year agreements with engineers. The FAA requires that airports go out for selection every five years with several engineers presenting their rates, etc. By limiting the selection period, Weiland said airports get somebody on board who is familiar with their airport and what's been done there.

Turner noted the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission (OAC) has 36 engineers on a list of those qualified in airport work for the state. Weiland said if the airport thinks an engineer's rates are too high or not appropriate, the issue goes to negotiated review. If the charges are within ten percent of the expected rate, the engineer is approved.

The project is planned for two phases to be accomplished over two years. Funds from the OAC will be divided between each year. Weiland said he can't specify what will be covered in the first year until the design for the entire project is completed. At that point, Garver will start estimating costs of the improvements. Those costs will determine how much of the project can be accomplished in each year or phase.

Getting into the preliminary plans, Paul Kinzie asked if there was any reason to remove one of the existing taxiways. Weiland said the FAA favors doing away with taxiways not connecting to the apron.

Logsdon pointed out one taxiway to be removed is used by spray planes to avoid the area (apron) where other planes are parked. Weiland indicated the plans could be modified to leave the taxiway in place. Then board members wanted to know if this would impact getting FAA approval. Weiland said at most, the FAA might deem the runway as not approved which would be mean the airport is liable for all upkeep and replacement. It could not be included in future projects.

The funds coming in for the project will be $150,000 per year for two years to cover 90 percent of the project costs. Garver is estimating a design cost of $119,000 for the first year to cover design for the entire project.

Kinzie asked why not incorporate the failing concrete of the apron where concrete had to be sawed and left with spaces to be filled with asphalt. He described it as a spider web area which would not hold up for long. Weiland said that could be included and offered to look at the area with Kinzie after the meeting.

Finally Weiland was asked if he was representing the FAA to the airport board or if he was representing the airport board to the FAA. Weiland said he's on the airport board's side. "We want to be a tool and a team player."

With that, the board voted to approve Garver to design the project.

 

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