Alva Review-Courier -

The Alva Regional Airport has a new manager. Tyson Tucker is getting up-to-speed on his responsibilities.

During the airport commission meeting Monday, he reported fuel sales in March were up about $6,000 from February. March sales totaled $22,112.39. Tucker explained entries on the fuel report for ruck transfer and tank calibration were from pumping fuel and then replacing it during OCC tank calibrations.

During a runway project at the Woodward airport, the forestry service moved their firefighting planes to Alva for about a week. Tucker said they liked the airport facilities and didn’t have any fire incidents during that time. They went back to their Woodward base Monday.

The airport experienced some internet problems for a few days, but that problem has been resolved. Weekend employee Aron Herren was at the meeting and mentioned a leak under the Jet-A truck which is being addressed.

Tucker said all the pavement cracks have been sprayed to eliminate weeds. The tree limb pile mentioned at the last meeting has been hauled off.

He suggested getting all the airport mowers serviced and blades sharpened if needed before the summer mowing season gets underway. Board member Paul Kinzie said there was a “healthy balance” in equipment maintenance in the budget to cover the servicing.

Tucker said he has been going through all the equipment. He plans to set up log books for each piece of equipment to track when service is performed and parts replaced.

Little Change in Expenses

Alva Business Manager Joe Don Dunham told the commission the city is working on next year’s budgets. Kinzie asked if he’s seeing any major increases in budget expenses such as insurance. Dunham said after talking with insurers he’s hoping health insurance will be about the same and property insurance should be the same. He doesn’t expect any substantial increase. He said he’ll probably have figures for the board to vote on at the next meeting.

Dunham reported he is still working on getting information on fixed base operators and other forms of airport management for the board.

Turf Runway Sprigging

Tucker reported receiving quotes from two companies on sprigging the newly constructed turf runway at the airport. He said it appeared it will cost $1,300 to $1,800.

Dean Reimer offered two options: regular 30 bushels per acre sprigging at $140 per acre or double 60 bushels per acre sprigging at $185. The other newer company, Warfield, offered 34 bushels per acre at $135.

Board members expressed a preference for double sprigging. Dale Logsdon said it would provide a better surface quicker.

Tucker said the companies are already getting booked up so the airport needed to decide quickly or possibly be forced to wait until next summer. He said it was also recommended the wheat currently on the runway be plowed up. However, board members thought the grass would quickly choke out the wheat.

Kinzie made a motion to accept the Reimer bid of 60 bushels at $185 per acre. It was seconded and passed unanimously.

Wings over the Prairie

Commission members received an update on the Air Race Classic and Wings over the Prairie Air Show scheduled for June. Tucker and Kinzie provided information in the absence of April Mills who was attending the Sun and Fun air show in Florida with Plane Plastics.

The show has eight cover sponsors so far for the event and a list of 50 events for which they’d like to obtain individual sponsors.

The race will begin at 8 a.m. on April 19 in Sweetwater, Texas, with Alva as the first stop on the route that ends in Maine. With the next stop being in Nebraska, Alva expects a majority of the 55 female pilot teams entered to stop for refueling.

A lunch will be available for pilots along with brown-bag meals if they don’t want to take time to eat on the ground. The men’s restroom in the airport terminal will be marked ladies only for that day with the men relegated to the porta-potties provided outside.

Tucker said the airport’s credit card company is sending a card reader to be used in the fuel truck to expedite re-fueling. There will be webinars for air race volunteers on April 26 and April 28.

The airport will need a number of volunteers, but not all need aircraft knowledge. They will need some knowledgeable help operating the Unicom (radio traffic). Others will be needed to direct aircraft parking, help with fueling and greet arriving pilots. The airport plans to have information on overnight facilities in Alva if weather causes any aircraft delays.

Tucker said they’ve considered offering a discount of 10 cents per gallon on fuel for the race and continuing into the weekend air show. Kinzie said the time period discussed would be from 8 a.m. June 19 to 4 p.m. June 23 and it would be offered to everyone getting fuel. Dunham said the airport commission will need to vote on a discount. Since it was not on the agenda for the meeting, it will need to be considered during the May meeting.

Fly-in and air show activities will start at noon on Friday. A free community meal will be provided Friday evening. Visiting pilots are encouraged to fly-in and spend the night with a camping area set up on the airport. Rides will also be available to local hotels. A movie is planned to be shown outdoors that night.

Visiting pilots will be given tickets for free breakfast and lunch on Saturday while the public may take advantage of food trucks parked at the airport. There will be several aircraft related companies with displays in a building just south of the terminal building. A kid-zone with activities for kids will be set up.

Several special guests are expected as well as entertainment by the Texas Teacarts. Contests and prizes are also part of the fun. Again, the event will require a lot of volunteer labor.

Questions

During the remarks and inquiries period, Turner asked about progress on airport signs. That matter is being handled by Alva Mayor Kelly Parker, also a board member, who was absent. Dunham said he didn’t know about the big signs. The smaller ones with speed limits require correction of some minor mistakes before they can be accepted. Terry Turner said he hopes they are up before the fly-in.

Kinzie asked about the painting and repairs on the terminal building. Dunham said he called a week after the March meeting to let the company know they were approved. He said they were supposed to start in a couple of weeks. He said he would check on it.

Kinzie asked if there were any major equipment maintenance issues other than the tractors. Tucker said none that he knew of. Kinzie asked him to look into refreshing the bid for the hay barn roof.

Pilot Jason Costanza said he would recommend a controlled access gate be put in place by Plane Plastics to prevent motorists from inadvertently straying onto airport taxiways and possible confronting aircraft. Lodgson said the planned signage will say “unauthorized vehicles not permitted.”

Pilot Eric Brewer asked that the airport get the ramp by the hay barn swept, at least for the race and air show. He said it gets “all kinds of rock” on the pavement and he has to file dings out of his airplane propellers. Tucker said they would sweep the ramp.