CAA: GA News, "Group discusses New York airport rent"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Sunday, September 15, 2002

Group discusses county airport rent
By BILL FARRELL
The Utica (NY) Observer-Dispatch 


Al Stringham owns Landcare Aviation, which does aerial mapping at Oneida
County Airport. 

He lives north of Boonville in Lewis County, and it would be an easier
drive to work if his operations were based at Griffiss Business and
Technology Park in Rome, he said. But it wouldn't be the right move. 

For Oneida County to switch airport operations to Griffiss "you're
looking at an enormous expense," Stringham told an audience of about 50
Saturday at the Ramada Inn at the airport. 

He called the county airport "an excellent facility" that nonetheless
has its share of problems, but improvements can be made. 

And he doesn't object to paying a rent increase as long as everyone pays
a fair share. 

Others in the audience seemed to agree. 

Most were other airport tenants, but some were members of the county's
public works committee, which is charged with overseeing the airport. 

The committee called the meeting to discuss a rent increase at hangars
-- there hasn't been an increase since 1992 -- facility repairs and a
possible move to Griffiss. 

There wasn't any enthusiasm expressed for the latter, although some say
privately that Griffiss has more potential. 

Several tenants said the debate about which airport the county should
choose needs to be settled. 

"I think Oneida County Airport is the better facility," said Chuck
Valuckas, chief pilot for Indium Aviation. "It has two runways that are
appropriate for the way the industry is going." While Griffiss has a
longer runway -- some 11,000 feet long -- he said "that's what you need
if you're serving B52s loaded with nukes," but not for general aviation.


Committee chairman David J. Wood, R-Rome, said the airport, which has
been losing money for years, will operate at a deficit of between
$600,000 and $700,000 next year. 

The additional cost to run Griffiss, he said, would be about $1 million
a year, and without a major tenant, there's a reluctance to pay that. 

Fred Martin, who keeps his plane in one of the hangars by the fixed base
operation at the airport, raised some concerns about present conditions.


"I'd like to see guarantees of protection for our aircraft. ...
Summertime, the (hangar) doors are always left open," he said. He'd also
like to see a relocation of loading and unloading areas and parking
improvements. 

With the end of commercial flights at the airport in June, Martin
suggested that the gate be opened "so people can move their vehicles
in." But several officials said later that idea would not fly in light
of increased airport security nationwide following the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks. 

Jim Brod, representing Galaxy Aviation, said there was a consensus among
members who met recently that Oneida County Airport "could be an asset
in attracting people to this area. The fundamental issue is jobs." 

If the airport goes, he said, "it will diminish the area, and I don't
think that makes good sense." 

The public works committee will meet in about two weeks in hopes of
approving a new rental agreement, Legislator Ronald Townsend, R-Rome,
said.


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