CAA: GA News, "Private party may expand Pennsylvania airport for jets"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Wednesday, February 27, 2002

Private party may expand Zelienople airport for jets 
By Judy Salisbury Cline 
The Pittsburgh (PA) Post Gazette


A private party may soon put the Zelienople Municipal Airport on a "fast
track" to expand its runway for regular use by private and corporate
jets.

Borough Councilman Russell Robertson, who is also on the authority that
oversees the airport, told council Monday the expansion would not be
financed at all by taxpayers' money, but by one unnamed individual.

He said the donor wants to extend the runway on both ends to 5,000 feet
and build a jet hangar 1 1/2 times the size of the National Jet hangar
already there.

The 5,000-foot length for the runway is "magic," according to airport
authority member Jack Bonus, because it will allow the airport to be
used regularly by small jets. 

"The problem is with landing," Bonus said. "There needs to be enough
runway to stop the airplane safely. If [jets] can land here, they may
buy fuel here, and that definitely will help the airport."

Airport Manager Tom Haney agreed, saying regular use by small jets could
bring as much as a 20 percent increase in fuel revenue.

He said the airport is now used for a combination of recreational
flying, pilot training and business and charter flights, but no jets are
based there. He said the proposed improvements would enhance the margin
for safety.

"Anytime you add length to your runway, you improve safety," Haney said.


The improvements will not make the airport big enough for commercial
jetliners, only jets in the 10- to 12-seat range.

"We are rated for the lighter-weight aircraft," said Bonus. "We're not
going to get heavier aircraft coming in. We are certainly not going to
see 747's landing in Zelienople."

Despite the available funding, it may still be 2003 before much happens.
Thomas Felix, manager of the Federal Airport Administration's regional
office in New York, said the airport will need approval from the state
Department of Transportation's Bureau of Aviation.

"It doesn't matter where the funding comes from," Felix said. "To change
the airport layout plan triggers an environmental assessment that could
take up to eight months. 

"When you're talking about bringing in planes that have never used the
airport before, that's a major environmental assessment. When they
extend the runway to 5,000 feet, those jets can come in fully loaded."

"That's quite a change. The state must approve the project."

Even so, Bonus said the authority is grateful. "This is a kind of gift
for our airport. We could not afford to do this on our own. It's a great
thing for the airport."

Some area residents may be less thrilled, though. Plans are under way to
name a citizen's advisory board to study the impact.

Robertson on Monday gave council names of interested residents from the
Rosewood housing plan, which borders the airport. He also suggested that
members of the borough's planning commission and zoning hearing board be
named to the committee.

Public hearings will be held to allow for input from the community. 

Robertson said he does not expect the hearings to delay the expansion.
He said if the airport can serve commercial customers, it will be able
to increase fees significantly. "It's a win-win situation," he said.

The airport is in Franklin, Beaver County, about a mile from Zelienople.

In the past, the municipal authority has received more than $ 3.9
million in Federal Aviation Administration grants and nearly $1 million
in state grants to upgrade the facilities.


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