Airport Advisory Board

MINUTES - CITY OF DEKALB AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD February 16, 2016 The Airport Advisory Board held a meeting on February 16, 2016 at the Airport Maintenance Shop. Vice Chairman Jim Rhoades called the meeting to order at 5:30p.m. A. ROLL CALL Jim Rhoades called the roll and the following members of the Airport Advisory Board were present: Dick Anderson, Bryce Deter, Robert Owens, Larry Luxton, Jack Bennett, Bernard Pupino, Bryant Irving and Jim Rhoades. Members absent at roll call were: Mitch Hallgren, Jeff Jacobson, Chuck Lanning and Kate Noreiko. Also present were: Tom Cleveland, Airport Manager; Bruce Griffith, Director of KEC High School Aviation Program and Jeff Kohlert – Fly America. B. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA – ADDITIONS/DELETIONS A motion was made by Bryant Irving to approve the February 16, 2016 agenda, seconded by Dick Anderson, and approved by voice vote. C. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Citizens were asked if anyone would like to speak. There was no public participation. D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES An amendment was made by Bob Owens to approve the January 26, 2016 minutes with the following change: Larry Luxton was absent not present for that meeting, seconded by Dick Anderson. E. OLD BUSINESS - NONE F. NEW BUSINESS 1. Discussion of FY2016.5 Airport Budget – Airport Manager Cleveland discussed with the Airport Advisory Board the process the City of DeKalb will go thru to make our budget year match the calendar year. He explained that there will be a 6 month budget from July 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016 named FY2016.5. Then FY2017 budget will be from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017. 2. Discussion/update on Kishwaukee Education Consortium High School Aviation Program at DeKalb Airport – Bruce Griffith, Director of the Kishwaukee Education Consortium High School Aviation Program gave an overview to the airport advisory board members on the program. There are 30 aviation students enrolled in the program. The program has been in existence for 10 years now. So far there are at least 60 – 70 private pilots that came out of the program. Many of those have their commercial, Instrument and instructor ratings also. These students feed into the aviation programs at Southern Illinois University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical College, University of North Dakota, Purdue and Kishwaukee College. One of the students that came out of the  program is actually flying F-18 fighter jets off an aircraft carrier. One is with the FAA. And at least three are commercial airline pilots. Some of these students over the past 10 years went into aircraft maintenance and air traffic control. The Chicago Area Business Aviation Association just awarded Kishwaukee Education Consortium High School Aviation Program a $10,000 donation to be able to improve some of the $500,000 worth of simulators they have at the airport. Also an aircraft owner donated his aircraft, which is un-airworthy, to the KEC program to make another simulator out of it. Director – Bruce Griffith thanked the City of DeKalb and the Airport Advisory Board for all their support. Bruce said the aviation industry is hurting for Pilots, Mechanics and Air Traffic Controllers. These high school students are getting a huge head start for their college classes and their career. 3. Discussion of Airport Marketing – The Airport Advisory Board thanked Ellen Divita – Director of Economic Development - City of DeKalb, for attending last month’s board meeting. The Board discussed numerous ideas of new marketing promotions and materials, promotional events and how to get the community involved to support the airport. The Airport Advisory Board would like Ellen Divita-Director of Economic Development, to come to future meetings to keep the discussion going. Also the Board would like to have Paul Borek, DeKalb County Economic Development Director attend the March Airport Advisory Board meeting on March 15th, 2016. G. COMMITTEE REPORTS Airport Manager’s Report: • NIU and their opponent basketball 30 passenger charter aircraft have been coming in for the past month. They have been buying fuel and being deiced regularly. • There has been many Drone calls to the airport Managers office to notify the airport that a drone will be flying within 5 miles of the airport. The drones are supposed to stay below 400’. • The heated concrete threshold on T-hangar E-2 is complete and working great. Airport staff constructed and installed the entire unit. It runs the entire length of the hangar, 232’. This heated concrete threshold keeps ice from forming under the hangar door. There are 5 doors that face north and never thaw in the winter. There have been times the hangar door is frozen to the ground. This will not happen anymore. The tenants are very happy to have the heated threshold in front of their hangar. • On June 5, 2016 the Experimental Aircraft Association will be having their Annual Pancake Breakfast at DeKalb Airport. After that breakfast event, Roger Keys will do a presentation on the TDR-1 Drone that was built here in DeKalb during World War 2. It is the 75th Anniversary of the Interstate Aircraft Company that built the drones here with Wurlitzer Corporation. • Loader Memo to City Council – Airport Manager Cleveland will be presenting a memo with all of the options for the airport to purchase or rent an end loader for snow removal use in April. The old airport end loader’s transmission went out in October. We have rented an end loader for the winter season to get us by. H. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned 6:35pm Respectfully submitted by Tom Cleveland Minutes approved by the Airport Advisory Board on March 15, 2016.