AOPA official turns up heat on Rialto officials
Rialto city officials hope to develop land near the airport and may even have a plan in mind to close the airport, but without public records, no one knows for sure. At this writing Rialto officials still have not complied with an AOPA freedom of information request under the California Public Records Act to disclose what the city is doing with airport funds and what it is telling consultants and developers. In mid-April Bill Dunn, AOPA vice president of airports, appeared on a Rialto-area radio talk show about the city's failure to respond to AOPA's request for information.
Montgomery Field retains popular FBO
Pilots based at Montgomery Field in San Diego last week received a small victory when the city directed officials to extend the lease with Gibbs Flying Service, a fixed-base operation. The council discussed extending the lease for a period of six months to one year. (The city previously was planning to take over operation of the lease in May.)
In March AOPA expressed its concern to the city about the quality of service pilots would receive at the airport once the city took over operation of the FBO. The association also pointed out that being the management organization of an airport was much different from operating an FBO. City Council member Jim Madaffer, chairman of the city's public services committee, contacted the association indicating he shared AOPA's concerns and called a hearing to discuss the lease.
Homes, schools to be built in Watsonville safety zone
Planning for 2,200 homes, schools, and day-care centers in the Buena Vista area west of Watsonville Municipal Airport will take another year, but the City Council has taken a step in that direction. The Watsonville City Council voted 4-3 to classify Runway 8 as a low-use runway, allowing the elimination of one of six safety zones at the airport. That in turn clears the way for development and triggers what one city official said will be a debate on "the future" of the airport.
City officials based their decision on reports that Runway 8 handles only 2 percent of the airport's 100,000 yearly operations. However, the other end of that runway, Runway 26, handles 10,000 operations yearly, according to a story in the Watsonville Register-Pajaronian. The airport master plan will be modified to strike language requiring compatible standards for Runway 8. The AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer is Richard F. Steinkamp.
Originally the city had wanted to close Runway 8/26 or just to shorten it. Steinkamp noted the final compromise is at least a step up from that proposal. One airport official was quoted as saying the City Council decision was a good compromise with the needs of development.
The vote was close with council members debating whether the airport should grow, or whether the needs of the growing population outweigh those of the owners of 327 airplanes at the airport. Steinkamp is working with the airport advocacy group as they prepare for the next stage, a change to the city's general plan allowing the annexation of Buena Vista as approved by the voters in 2002. AOPA is urging Santa Cruz County officials to create a county-sponsored airport land use commission to protect Watsonville Municipal Airport.
Petaluma starts hangar construction
Construction has finally begun on construction of 55 hangars at Petaluma County Airport, the end of a years-long process.
Bids went out nearly a year ago following seven years of hard work, but all came back over budget. That hurdle was overcome when the airport sponsor subsequently applied for secured supplemental financing from the State of California Aviation Loan Program. Amendments to plans and materials have also helped contain costs and include infrastructure upgrades such as taxiways, lighting, and drainage for the new hangars. The Petaluma AOPA ASN volunteer is Thomas D. McGaw.
Trinity Center faces trees, rent, and permit issues
Officials at Trinity Center Airport face several issues that are monitored closely by AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer Patricia L. Forbes.
First, there are 250 pine trees at the north end of the airport on the approach end of Runway 14 that create hazards to arriving aircraft. The Redding Record Searchlight reports that U.S. Forest Service officials promise they will be cut or trimmed by Memorial Day weekend. There is skepticism among local pilots and officials at this writing that the work will be done by that time. The promise was made at a meeting in early April, where the airport manager, chief building inspector, Trinity Center supervisor, and representatives from U.S. Rep. Wally Herger's (R-Calif.) office discussed the trees and a second problem involving land use.
Some of the airport property is owned by the U.S. Forest Service under a lease that is up for renewal in a few years. Uncertainty over whether the lease will be renewed has caused some of the pilots based there to place plans for new hangars on hold. Not to worry, says the Forest Service. As long as the terms of the permit are followed, a new 30-year lease should easily be approved.
But there is another issue. The yearly special-use fee has gone up to $1,340, a jump of about $400, based on a new appraisal of the land. The fee hadn't been adjusted in many years. While it's only a yearly fee, the Redding Record Searchlight reported, Trinity County can't afford it. Herger may challenge the appraisal, local officials said. Other options preferred by the county include the Forest Service's giving the land to the airport, or some sort of swap. County officials have sent a letter to the Forest Service asking for the land.
A final issue concerns a new environmental study. The Forest Service has been adamant that a new environmental study needs to be conducted before the planned hangars can be built, but the airport master plan says no such study is necessary.
Oceanside airport eyed for development
When Oceanside City Council members close their eyes they see a Costco, Borders bookstore, or a Sam's Club store on what is now a drive-in movie theater lot. The problem is that the site may interfere with Oceanside Municipal Airport, according to a story in The San Diego Union-Tribune. Several council members told the paper they thought commercial development would win if it came down to the airport versus development. One councilman said that while the airport may not be threatened, there is sentiment on the council to abandon the airport if it would stop development of the drive-in movie property.
Santa Paula Airport struggles for comeback
Santa Paula pilots are struggling with financial issues in their efforts to repair flood damage to the airport's only runway. Only a half-dozen aircraft now use the airport's shortened runway each day, according to the Ventura County Star. Efforts to curb damage while it was in progress amassed a contractor's bill of $225,000, and since the airport is privately owned the pilots are responsible for the payment. It amounts to $2,200 a hangar, said Santa Paula Airport Association president Rowena Mason, but a loan has been obtained and now the airport's pilots are responsible only for the interest on the loan. Pilots are hoping to achieve reliever-airport status so that they can qualify for government money to pay back the loan.
Now it appears the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service won't have enough money to protect the entire river bank next to the airport with rock reinforcement. Mason said this is a unique opportunity to do the flood-protection job right, but additional funds must be found.
Another plan is going well. Bulldozers are digging through a sand bar on dry land that, when they break through, will help rechannel the river and divert its force from the airport river bank.
The goal still is to have the airport ready for its seventy-fifth anniversary in August. But the more important task is to restore the flow of commerce to businesses located on the airport. The Ventura County Star said a flight school has already moved to Oxnard. As if the airport didn't have enough troubles already, state officials are eyeing the rock reinforcement of the airport's river bank, saying it needs to be studied and could harm endangered species such as the steelhead trout. A study might take up to a year, the newspaper reported, delaying the work.
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