President's Perspective

GA Welcomes A New Airport

Whether you are new to flying or a seasoned flight instructor, you know that nothing is more important to general aviation than airports. AOPA spends significant resources to protect and promote airports at the national, state, and local levels. These strips of concrete, asphalt, or grass are a vital link to the majority of communities that are not served by major or commuter airlines. Of the 13,000 U.S. landing sites, fewer than 600 have air carrier service, and 75 percent of all airline flights are concentrated at only 30 hub airports. These facts point to the versatility and convenience of general aviation flying.

Unfortunately, we are losing almost one GA airport every week. In most cases, these are privately owned airports available for public use. They often close as a result of rising property values. Some aging airport owners know their children don't share their love of aviation, so they sell the land to eager developers. Rising taxes, Environmental Protection Agency requirements, and the declining number of GA pilots over the last two decades also contribute.

If an airport is owned by a city, county, or state government, it is publicly owned. In many cases these facilities have received federal money for construction, upgrades, safety improvements, and other uses. Once a community takes federal dollars for an airport project, that community must follow federal regulations pertaining to operation, safety, and discrimination. Your association often is the first to point out abuses of these contracts, such as nonaviation use of airport property and high charges for a particular class of user.

To assist us in covering the many legal and operational issues at the 5,200 publicly owned GA airports, AOPA created the Airport Support Network. One AOPA member/volunteer becomes the eyes and ears for all pilots who use a particular airport. These volunteers look for opportunities to promote the airport and, on occasion, find problems that they solve with tools or other resources provided by AOPA. Since its inception, this program has resolved many issues that could have closed airports.

So, airports are closing and facilities that receive federal grants need constant monitoring. What about new airports? Several years ago, I made a pledge that I would attend the opening of any new or greatly improved public-use GA airport. It's been an easy commitment to keep. These openings are few and far between. But one caught up with me recently, and it certainly is worth noting.

Ohio is a fantastic aviation state. Many years ago the then-governor set a goal of having an airport in every county, and that dream became a reality. But, until recently, it had been 30 years since a new GA airport had opened in Ohio, and many of the existing airports didn't have runways long enough to accommodate the growing corporate element of GA.

Sandusky County in the northeast corner of Ohio has long boasted Fremont-Progress Airport, a privately owned field serving GA pilots. But some in the county have wanted a publicly owned facility with a long runway to handle the larger aircraft that accompany the economic expansion sought by many communities. Thirteen years ago the planning started, and last year the new Sandusky County Airport (S24) opened with a 5,500-by-100-foot runway and a GPS approach on each end. Avion Management Services spent $1.5 million to build a first-class FBO with a hangar, office building, and flight school. Avion's owners, Anne and Nick Esposito, are as in love with aviation as any private airport owners. Anne is a former corporate pilot with all the ratings and hours, and her husband, Nick, flies Boeing 767s for a major airline.

The dedication ceremony for S24 was a year in the planning, taking place on June 10. A local band played while area residents toured a historic B-17 flown in for the event. Dignitaries included members of the airport authority and State Sen. Larry Mumper, an AOPA member and pilot. It was my pleasure to give the keynote speech.

More importantly, I got to meet Mark Reineck, the AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer who worked many hours to make sure this event ran smoothly. Mark and his family are typical of the modern breed of pilots - understanding that local politics and sensitivities must be addressed if airports are to coexist with surrounding communities.

Only time will tell how important Sandusky County Airport will be to economic and transportation development in the area. But as I stood at the podium looking out over cornfields, I could imagine how those attending the dedications of so many air carrier airports (new Denver, Dulles, etc.) must have thought, "It's too far from town - nothing will ever be built out here!"

Congratulations, Sandusky County, for having the foresight to build S24, giving all of us who fly one of the first new general aviation airports to be dedicated in the new millennium.