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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_AIRAB_07.18.2005 Minutes of the Meeting of the Airport Advisory Board City of Georgetown, Texas Monday, July 18, 2005 The Airport Advisory Board of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met on Monday , July 18, 2005. Members Present: Arnold Wieder, Chris Cagle, Howard Fomby, John Bader, Mark Dietz, Tim Sullivan Members Absent: Don Pfiester Staff Present: Travis McLain Minutes Regular Meeting 1. Call to order. Chairman Mark Dietz called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. 2. Consideration and Approval of Minutes of June 20, 2005, meeting. Tim Sullivan: Motion to approve the minutes of June 20, 2005. Chris Cagle: I second the motion. Motion approved 6-0. 3. Airport Manager’s Report: June 2005 Monthly Income and Expense Reports Travis McLain: We had a good month for fuel (2005 y.t.d. vs. 2004 y.t.d.). There were no IFR days in June. Travis McLain: We did have expenses of contract mowing (drainage ditches) and T -Hangar door repairs. Report on Noise Study and Master Plan Update Noise Study: Travis McLain: Copies of the FAA’s Record of Approval (ROA) were provided in your packets. I checked with TxDOT and the FAA whether a follow up response was required. No response is required from the City on the ROA, and there is no timeframe on funding. However, it is subject to the availability of funds to the FAA. They do recommend that if you have any extreme changes in airport operations that you update your Part 150 every five years. MasterPlan: Travis McLain: The public hearing and City Council action will be on July 26, 2005, at the City Council Chambers, I will advise you on the time as soon as the agenda is posted. Report on Council Actions Travis McLain: City Council approved the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) request for rent free lease to Hangar F6. City Council also approved the amendment to the Microfusion Land Lease at 302 Wright Brothers Drive, extending the Mandatory Construction Deadline to December 31, 2005. Report on Control Tower Travis McLain: The Control Tower site plan and design is in progress. Here is the architectural style the committee chose An architectural drawing was circulated to the board members; they will use the same rock texture as the Terminal building. The estimated completion is October 1, 2006. General Information Items Travis McLain: There is a copy of the City’s response on the Aviation Museum . There were diagrams from the City’s GIS system, (Geographic Information System - a digital mapping system that allows users to create and view an unlimited variety of geographic information) that I was not able to copy. Arnold Wieder: Do we as an Advisory Board get involved in this process in any way shape or form? Travis McLain: City Council has already taken this project over. Howard Fomby: Tom Yantis (Assistant City Manager) and Paul Brandenburg (City Manager) are the primary contacts for the City of Georgetown. We have no official or voting authority in the decision. My understanding is that they will be giving the City of Georgetown an answer in 1 -2 months. I imagine at some point the Board will be brought into this to make the project more successful. (9.) Discussion and possible action on the Central Texas Regional Airport. Mark Dietz: I would like to move item No. 9 up on the agenda. I have invited Mayor John Cowman (City of Leander) to come talk to us about the Central Texas Regional Airport. John Cowman: (Mayor of Leander) Thank you. I was reading the Williamson County Sun and noticed that all the cities were saying no to a new Central Texas Airport. I contacted the Aviation Division of TxDOT and asked them what they needed (800 acres). I advised them we have property just north of Leander off of Highway 183 -- at the intersection of FM 3405 (not in the City of Leander, not in the City of Georgetown, not in the City of Liberty Hill), basically between them – in the County. Next I contacted Mayor Gary Nelon of Georgetown and Mayor Pro-Tem Charles Canady of Liberty Hill about my proposal. All agreed to work with me on this project. The first meeting on my proposal was at the capitol with State Representative Dan Gattis, State Representative Mike Krusee, Congressman Carter’s Office, TxDOT, Capital Metro, and the three landowners involved. TxDOT hired Wilbur Smith to asses the potential site. A second meeting was attended by Judge John Doerfler (Williamson County), TxDOT, and FAA, AOPA (Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association), and the Texas Aviation Association. A bill in support of funding a new Central Texas Airport was progressing through the Texas legislature. It made out of committee and died with the end of the present legislative term. We talked about the possibility of sponsorship. The FAA advised that they had appropriations of 100% for this endeavor. I am now attempting to create a JAZB (Joint Airport Zoning Board) where a county joins with cities in the decision making process. TxDOT will be meeting with the landowners in mid- August. Tim Sullivan: Do you have a timeline? John Cowman: (Mayor of Leander) About four years from construction to actual operation. Right now TxDOT is conducting environmental assessments. The site checks out OK (east of Parmer Lane). Chris Cagle: Do the FAA funds include land acquisition, building of the structure and maintenance? John Cowman: (Mayor of Leander) I do not know. Arnold Wieder: Dave Fulton said during the public discussion in Taylor to ye ars ago, that the new Central Texas Airport would have a tower. Chris Cagle: How close is this to the traffic pattern and how will this affect the Kittie Hill Airport? John Cowman: (Mayor of Leander) I do not know how this will affect Kittie Hill Airport, I have not investigated it. The proposed location is about five miles to the north of Kittie Hill Airport. Chris Cagle: How many acres of land will this project require? John Cowman: (Mayor of Leander) TxDOT says it will require 600 -850 acres. There is only one person to be displaced. Howard Fomby: First, thank you for your leadership in doing this project. We are maxed out as an airport and cannot expand our runways. As a pilot this would be a great alternative runway. John Cowman: (Mayor of Leander) T his is not my project, but rather a TxDOT endeavor. The new Central Texas Airport will be for general aviation use, and will not be a cargo facility. Arnold Wieder: I’d like to offer my encouragement. There are more people involved in the project now than when TxDOT met with the City of Taylor a few years ago. There are now more organizations working to make this project a reality. John Cowman: (Mayor of Leander) I have received 36 negative comments about the potential site selection for the new Central Texas Airport, and have tried to address each of them. Howard Fomby: This may be the last chance to find land to build an airport in Central Texas. Airport revenue must stay at the airport. There is no financial advantage for one city to own it over the other. The advantages are the spin-offs to all the cities. John Cowman: (Mayor of Leander) It will be good for Williamson County and the surrounding cities to situate a Regional Airport there. Mark Dietz: Thank you Mayor Cowman. 4. Citizens Wishing to Address the Board None. 5. Discussion and Possible action on recommendation for Airport Layout Plan, Rules & Regulations and Minimum Standards. Arnold Wieder: I did review the rules and regulations, minimum standards and talked with Chuck Willis about them. I compared the Board’s draft with the versions that Mr. Willis e-mailed to me. I found some changes, most notably in definitions (additions to the definitions). Mark Dietz: Mr. Willis needs to complete the final draft in order for the Board to evaluate. I would suggest you communicate to him, and ask him when he will be finished with them. Tim Sullivan: Mr. Willis will be here on July 26, 2005. Can he make copies for the Board to review prior to our meeting in August? Mark Dietz: Arnold, if you could give us a report at your earliest opportunity (by e -mail) to report to the Board. Arnold Wieder: Sure. 6. Discussion on the Updated Master Plan. No Action. 7. Discuss the Airport Safety Observation Report and Methods to Promote Airport Safety. Arnold Wieder: We received two new Safety Observation Reports for the month of June. The first report concerned a final approach to the airport where the pilot on f inal approach was told that “this was a training airport,” and that “we do not allow long finals.” The reporting pilot describes how he had to perform a missed approach and then force himself to land because both aircrafts were converging over runway 18 even though he and the other pilot declared missed approaches. The reporting pilot made a comment that he hopes the tower comes soon. The second Airport Safety Observation Report concerns two flight instructors. The report states one instructor did not communicate on the radio at all. The other instructor and his student communicated continually: announcing their position as they flew the pattern; practicing engine out procedures. They found themselves in conflict with the other aircraft even though the y were landing on the active runway as indicated by the windsock. The non-communicating instructor flew an opposing pattern to a final approach to the runway. The reporting individual talked with the other instructor after the incident. The instructor claimed not to have done anything wrong. Once again, we are receiving reports concerning a lack of communication in the airport traffic pattern. I think, as a minimum, we need to run this by Don Dison (FAA Safety Representative) for his information. Howard Fomby: VFR pilots do not always understand IFR approaches. 8. Discuss Airport Museum. Howard Fomby: The City Council voted unanimously to support the Airport Museum. (Letter sent by Tom Yantis – attached) 9. Discussion and possible action on the Central Texas Regional Airport. (Discussed earlier) 10. Discuss meeting with the Central Texas Airport Advisory Boards. John Bader: I spoke with the City of Burnet and they are interested in hosting the next meeting sometime in September, 2005 (options for dates). Topics for discussion: a. Central Texas Regional Airport b. Security (Tim Sullivan) c. Noise Study (Arnold Wieder) d. Master Plan John Bader: The plan is to draft a letter, email a copy to the Board for comments and corrections. Then finalize the letter and mail the letters on Friday (July 22nd). 11. Discuss updating the Airport Business Direction signs. John Bader: Last meeting we discussed talking to the company that put up the signs around the City of Georgetown. Mark Dietz: One of the things we discussed was for the company to tell us what we could do. We would like to see in writing, what type of signage as well as signage on the taxiw ays showing where the companies are located on the airport. Travis McLain: Do other airports put directional signs on taxiways for FBO ’s? Mark Dietz: Some do and some don’t. Travis McLain: I’ve never seen one. The signs are so restrictive as to design. We have some directional signs if they are willing to pay for them. Those that did not pay for them do not have them. I worked with Baker Signs; it was difficult to come up with a design to meet the FAA guidelines, so we did not put up a sign that would tear up an airplane. Pilots do not always read the signs. Building signs are not a problem; we just need to wait on Council approval. Chris Cagle: We mentioned putting stripes down the centerline reflection on the sub taxiway. Could this be a good community service project for the CAP cadets? Travis McLain: I would rather not have those kids on the taxiways. To get those reflectors epoxied in the right place is not as simple as it sounds, even the professionals can make errors. We have centerline reflectors on the main taxiways, just not on the stub taxiways. That could be done on the Ramp program which is 50-50 with TxDOT. Arnold Wieder: I mentioned to Tom Yantis about the possibility of the new logo going over the marker at the entry of the airport on Terminal Drive. Travis McLain: We currently have a unique sign depicting the commemorative stamp of the Wright Brothers. Chris Cagle: I think the Wright Brothers will be fine. John Bader: Yes. I do not think we should alter that sign. 12. Consideration and Possible Action for setting Agenda Items for the August 15, 2005, meeting. Mark Dietz: Items for the August 2005 agenda: A. Discussion and possible action on recommendation for Airport Layout Plan, Rules & Regulations and Minimum Standards. B. Discussion on the Updated Master Plan. C. Discussion and possible action of the Airport Safety Observation Report and Methods to Promote Airport Safety. D. Discuss Airport Museum. E. Discuss and possible action on the Central Texas Regional Airport. F. Discussion and possible action on meeting with the Central Texas Airport Advisory Boards. G. Discussion and possible action on updating the Airport Business Direction Signs. 13. Adjourn. Mark Dietz: Motion that we adjourn. Tim Sullivan: I second the motion. Motion approved 6-0. Adjourned: 8:20 P.M. Submitted by: Travis McLain Airport Director Approved: Attest: ___________________________ __________________________ Mark Dietz, Chairman Arnold Wieder, Board Secretary