Airport manager Dave Latimer informed the aviation board at their Tuesday meeting that they received their FCC license to operate their new AWOS weather reporting station on the aviation band last Friday. The service is currently available only over the phone. FAA inspectors are scheduled to be here to perform the system final tests this Friday. The system will then be broadcast on the aviation band for pilots as well as on the phone and the internet.
Consulting engineer Mark Shillington told the board that Welsh and Kelly will be returning in early April to finish the paving work on the taxiway that was part of the airport improvement work that the contractor forgot last year. That work is scheduled to take 30 days.
The board voted to use some improvement money that wasn’t spent to improve the paving and the drainage of the ramp area. That should cost about $22,000.
The airport board also voted to put the Driveway Project on the back burner. The current entry road is in the protected zone of the airport and should be moved, however the FAA has not complained about it. Looking at the project has discovered a number of major costs that would be incurred. Two buildings would have to be annexed into the city which would lead to major costs with the sewer system. While they will continue to look at the project for several years in the future, the board decided not to make it a priority.
Correspondent Jim Kunze
