"Yuma airport director pushes to keep funding"

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

 

Yuma airport director pushes to keep funding

BY SARAH REYNOLDS

The Yuma (AZ) Sun

 

CRAIG WILLIAMS, the Yuma International Airport director, points out the features of a newly constructed indoor baggage-sorting area.

Yuma International Airport Director Craig Williams knows all too well that money doesn't just fall out of the sky.

Arizona's looming budget deficit, which state officials estimate will be between $875 million and $1 billion, has prompted entities across the state to scramble to maintain resources. The airport is no exception.

The Aeronautics Division of the Arizona Department of Transportation distributes grant funds to airports around the state every year - including an average of $2 million to Yuma. Without it, Williams said, projects such as expanding security terminals and widening taxiways for large aircraft could be stalled.

"It's vital to keeping the airport viable," Williams said.

The airport is in the process of expanding to keep pace with the growing community and the increased demand for local air travel. While much of that expansion is already paid for, new projects would be threatened by state cutbacks.

Yuma now has air service to four major air travel hubs: Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, added Dec. 17. More than 62,000 flew into the airport in 2006 and 64,000 boarded planes here.

In addition to commercial traffic, the airport leases space to the U.S. Border Patrol's aircraft and frequently services military planes through its relationship with Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, with which it shares the airport.

The Border Patrol plans to build a new 40,000-square-foot air facility there but, before that can go forward, Williams said they need to make the slated space usable. This will mean repairing cracked, debilitated runways so aircraft can take off and land safely.

"The taxiway has become so deteriorated over time that we've had to close it," Williams said.

Even the usable taxiways are not wide enough to comfortably handle many of the military planes Williams and his staff are confronted with.

The taxiways average a width of 25-35 feet. Williams said they need to widen that to at least 50 feet to accommodate planes like the AN-124, which is more than 226 feet long with a wingspan of 240 feet.

"We're getting humongous airplanes," he said. "They can make it but I really worry when I see those big planes coming in ... Whenever you're in an aircraft and you're turning a corner, those extra 15 feet make a lot of difference."

The airport also needs more space to accommodate modern security.

"The terminal was designed and built just prior to (Sept. 11, 2001)," Williams said.

As a result, it was not made to handle new mandated screening procedures. The security area is built to hold only about 60 people, but some flights hold 70 or more passengers. This leads to longer delays for passengers and makes it more difficult for screeners to do their jobs.

He took his case to Yuma's state Sen. Amanda Aguirre and Rep. Lynne Pancrazi last week, asking them to fight at the state Legislature to maintain airport funding. He made another plea to the Yuma County Board of Supervisors during its regular Monday meeting.

"If ADOT or the Legislature takes this money away, we're looking at a shortfall of $2 million," Williams said. "Today those funds are protected but the rules change."

ADOT will hold its Feb. 15 meeting in Yuma, at which Williams hopes to rally support for the local airport.