CAA: GA News, "North Dakota airport authorities look at five-year master plan"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thursday, March 7, 2002

Airport authorities look at five-year master plan
By DAVID MAACK
The Jamestown (ND) Sun 


Installing a global positioning system tower, removing T-hangers,
renovating the main runway, draining wetlands and building an air cargo
building are all items under consideration for the Jamestown Regional
Airport's five-year master plan.

Airport authority members, Federal Aviation Administration and North
Dakota Aeronautics Commission officials were among those at a meeting
Wednesday to develop a plan for the airport's future. 

"What we're looking for is ways to improve services, plan repairs and
expansion, and generate more revenue," said Steve Aldinger, engineer
with Interstate Engineering, Jamestown.

"We're looking to get GPS on all four runways. Most planes are going to
GPS," Aldinger said of one option.

Aldinger said a tower would emit a signal to receivers in planes with
GPS systems.

"It is a precision approach which gives both vertical and horizontal
readings," said airport authority member Mike Kadrmas, of Summit
Aviation.

One item not on previous five-year plans is expansion of the terminal
building to house security equipment and provide a secure area for
passengers to wait for flights.

Bidding will open April 9, with construction on the 850-square-foot
addition expected to begin in early May and be completed by September,
Aldinger said.

Security screening at the airport began Feb. 17, said Richard King,
airport manager. National Guard members will remain at the airport until
the end of April because of action taken by Gov. John Hoeven. The troops
were scheduled to leave the end of March.

On the schedule for this summer is a 100- by 150-foot fire training pad
for the Jamestown Fire Department on property owned by the airport. Fire
chief Bert Gray said a 24- by 24-foot fire training building, 20-feet
high, should be added into the master plan, as that will also be built
at the site. Gray would also like to see a fire station built there
eventually because the new high school will be on the fringe of the
downtown fire station's response area.

The FAA is writing rules which may require all commercial airports to
have firefighters within three minutes of the runway if the commercial
planes carry at least 10 passengers, King said. The requirement could
move construction of a fire station near the airport up several years,
as the fire department would have to cover the airport for six landings
and takeoffs. Firefighters would be required on the scene 15 minutes
before the plane arrives until 15 minutes after takeoff, he said.

Allowing a residential area on airport land is a possibility, with a
requirement of ownership of an airplane and hanger.

The current T-hangers at the airport are beginning to deteriorate. It
was suggested the present privately-owned hangers be tore down and new
ones built east of the present location. This would require working with
the hanger owners and would probably involve the airport's purchase of
old hangers as they are replaced.

Also on the airport's five-year wish list are an air cargo building,
spray plane pads for loading chemicals, a fuel storage area, additional
aprons to the general aviation hangers, and a concrete apron to give
commercial airplanes more room to turn around.

The wetlands around the airport runways need to be drained or filled.
King said collisions between birds and airplanes have occurred, but
nothing serious has happened yet. For federal government involvement, an
environmental impact statement would have to be drafted, which could
take three years, King said. One advantage of having the government
involved would be FAA funding for 90 percent of the cost to fill or
drain the wetlands, normally quite expensive, he said.

The master plan helps commercial airports set goals for the airport and
also gives the FAA a look at the direction airports are moving, King
said.


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