CAA: GA News, "Pennsylvania airport doesn't meet FAA standards"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Friday, October 19, 2001  

Airport doesn't meet FAA standards 
By Gretchen M. Kline 
The Connellsville (PA) Daily Courier


DUNBAR TOWNSHIP - The state's bureau of aviation has notified the
Connellsville Airport Authority that it is not up to standards with
Federal Aviation Administration design criteria and for now, can only
proceed with five planned projects.

Authority engineer, Robbie Matesic of Benatec & Associates in
Greensburg, told authority members Thursday that the Bureau of Aviation
notified the authority last week by letter that the airport is not in
compliance with 17 modifications after the authority submitted 12
projects to the bureau for funding this fall.

Matesic did not elaborate on the 17 deficiencies. "In essence, the
bureau is saying that when the airport layout plan was approved in 1976
there was at that time, different design criteria than what the FAA has
now for this type of airport," Matesic stated.

Matesic explained that as part of the second phase of the Master Plan,
the firm must prepare an airport layout plan that is critical for both
state and FAA funding. The last layout plan was dated 1976 and, hence,
the differentials in design.

She said the bureau has agreed to advancing five of the 12 projects
before the modification of standards process is done.

These five include: airport Master Plan Phase II, five year airport-wide
environmental assessment, new access road, main hangar apron and upgrade
vault connections.

The board approved a motion to proceed with the project formulation,
modernization standards and runway safety area determination as soon as
the grant from the bureau is in hand.

Matesic said that she and airport manager, Diana Wally, had a conference
call with the bureau on Thursday, and the bureau has agreed to fund
through a grant the second phase of the Master Plan. Matesic could not
give a dollar amount for this but said the authority will be responsible
for a five percent match.

Matesic, following the meeting, said the notice from the bureau was
unexpected but stressed that it will not delay the runway extension
project.

On the remaining seven projects the authority can only proceed with the
design concept, she explained. These seven projects are: rehabilitation
of existing access road, storm water drainage ponds, extension of runway
safety area, runway indicator lights, water system design, sewer system
design and work on the shorter runway. She said developing the scope of
work and price proposals for the seven projects is contingent upon
receiving grant reimbursement.

Authority chairman Jesse Wallace asked how the bureau's moratorium will
effect the time table for projects.

She stressed that it will not hamper the runway extension project and
the bureau should approve the plan in 90 to 120 days. The authority can
also proceed with the design of the seven projects, added Matesic. She
said if approval is not given within 120 days then projects will be
severely slowed down. 

In other matters, the authority heard from solicitor Mark Rowan who
indicated that he received a letter from Carnegie Mellon University
Driving Training Safety Institute indicating that the school wishes to
drill a well for water for use on its training skid pad.

Rowan said he sent the school's attorney a letter stating that the
school's lease with the authority does not permit this activity.

The authority also approved the purchase of a pipe gate from Ball
Manufacturing of Uniontown, the low bidder at $995. The security gate
will be placed at the entrance to the airport and would be closed in the
event of an emergency such as the one that occurred on Sept. 11.

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