Airport Commission

Menomonie Airport Commission Special Meeting Minutes December 12, 2023 The Menomonie Airport Commission was called to order by Chairman Dr. Dan Johnson at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Other Commission members present included: Steven Lee, Randy Sommerfeld, and Earl Wildenberg. Others in attendance included: Kris Korpela (Dunn County), Tyler Leslie (WisBOA), Erik Guenard (UW-Stout), Caleb Rosenberg, Casey Delong, Ryan Falch, Melissa Underwood (SEH), Eric Atkinson, David Schofield (City of Menomonie), Darrel Gibson, Tim Tyre (Gibson Aviation), Tim Olson. Johnson asked for public comments. No public comments were received. The November 15, 2023 minutes were accepted by consensus. Underwood led the master plan discussion: I. Welcome A. SAC members shared their highs and lows for the airport: 1. Highs a. Good for flight training b. Nice terminal building c. Ideal location d. Great Airport Commission 2. Lows a. Transient Hangar and additional hangar space is needed b. Residential area west could hinder expansion c. Noise complaints d. Maintenance is needed II. Master Plan Process and Schedule Update A. Process 1. Draft inventory and forecast chapters have been developed. 2. Forecasts will require FAA and BOA approval. The chapter will be sent out for review after comments are addressed from this meeting. 3. Next part of the process is Facility Recommendations. III. Inventory Review A. Shared the inventory of the airport with the group through an online Story Map. B. Committee requested to put the story map on the City’s website. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/533101603d0c42a5b10711fbe79092a0 IV. Existing Forecasting Data A. Existing Based Aircraft Data 1. FAA requires the National Based Aircraft Inventory Program to be used as the official list for based aircraft for master planning purposes.  2. The Dec 12, 2023, report documents 33 validated based aircraft at LUM. a. 38 aircraft at the airport, the other five aircraft are listed at other airports as well. 3. Committee members believe there are two turbo prop aircraft already based at LUM, the National Based Aircraft Inventory Program shows one. a. SEH will investigate the turboprop numbers to get an accurate representation of LUM’s based aircraft. B. Existing Operations Data 1. Airport Management Records of 8,288 operations, which have been tracked by Gibson Aviation over the years, were used as the primary source for existing operational data. 2. SAC members wanted to inquire about ADS-B data and FlightAware data. a. This information is obtained through the FAA and isn’t always available. b. SEH will connect with the BOA to determine if ADS-B data can be obtained for this project. 3. SAC members mentioned there are a number of military operations at LUM that were not reported in the IFR flight plan data. a. SEH will connect with the BOA to see if these numbers are reflected in the ADS-B data. C. Existing Users 1. SEH contacted multiple corporate users about their current and future usage of LUM with minimal responses received. V. Preliminary Aviation Forecasts A. Based Aircraft 1. The draft based aircraft forecasts and methodology were shared with the SAC. The forecast has a baseline of 31 aircraft in 2023, which increases to 43 in 2043. a. SEH will update the baseline number to 33 based aircraft due to the updated numbers provided at the meeting. b. SEH will investigate turbo prop numbers to incorporate into the existing and forecasted based aircraft. 2. Approximately ten aircraft/hangars have been added at LUM in the last ten years. a. Committee members believe any hangars added at the airport would be filled immediately. B. Operations 1. The draft operations forecast and methodology were shared with the SAC. a. SEH will connect with the BOA to determine if ADS-B data can be obtained for this project to validate the numbers represented in the forecasts. C. Critical Aircraft 1. The critical aircraft for LUM is a B-II, large aircraft. This type of aircraft will drive the facility recommendations for the airport. 2. SAC members mentioned the selected critical aircraft of the Super King Air- 350 is not seen often at LUM. The Citation Latitude (B-II, large) is more commonly used at LUM.  a. SEH will update the critical aircraft from a Super King Air-350 to a Citation Latitude VI. Draft Facility Recommendations A. Preliminary Discussion 1. With a critical aircraft of a Citation Latitude, a 4,700-foot-long primary runway is justified. 2. The runway length will be evaluated based on the critical aircraft and future use of the airport. 3. The eligibility of the existing apron pavement will be discussed in the facility recommendations section of the report. a. Apron Configuration – the SAC members discussed the use of the existing apron at LUM. These items will be taken into consideration during the facility recommendations evaluation. The SAC discussed: (1) The amount of apron pavement at the airport needs to stay to keep piston aircraft tied down at the facility in a safe location during engine run ups for jet aircraft operating at the FBO. (2) Would like to evaluate moving the fuel system to the middle of the apron southeast of the existing location. (a) Evaluate the potential to fuel on both sides of the fuel pump – Jet A on one side and 100LL on the other side. (b) Keep the fuel system location clear of taxilane safety areas. (3) Review the grade of the apron – some areas too steep (4) Tiedowns are sufficient. (a) LUM may lose a few tiedowns due to a taxilane to new hangar north of FBO. (b) Larger aircraft use caulks or want a hangar so ADG I tiedowns are used most often. (5) Private hangar space to the west, business hangars to the north of the FBO VII. Open Discussion – the SAC members discussed other projects currently under consideration and should continue to be evaluated in the facility recommendations section of the report. A. Transient Storage Hangar Costs 1. Estimated to be around $2 million for an 80-foot by 80-foot hangar, closer to $3 million for a 120-foot by 120-foot hangar. 2. 2,500 sq. ft. private hangar estimated to be around $20 per sq. ft. 3. T-Hangars for 8 aircraft estimated to be about $1.8 million. a. This would have a 250-foot by 50-foot footprint. B. Corporate Taxilane 1. The corporate taxilane currently is a dead end. 2. May want to consider connecting the taxilane into the parallel taxiway to the crosswind runway. This would avoid congestion adjacent to the FBO and Terminal buildings. Some concerns with this include: a. Connecting the taxilane would cross a ditch. b. Aircraft will taxi south regardless to Runway 9/27.  C. Two private hangars are expected to be built in Spring 2024. 1. These hangars will be built across from the T-Hangar. 2. There’s potentially still room for 4 additional hangars in the existing general aviation building area. D. Hangar Development to the West 1. The future hangar development area to the west of the existing general aviation area can accommodate larger hangars than what is available in the existing general aviation area. 2. Development in this area is likely 2-3 years out minimum due to infrastructure funding for taxilanes and access to the area. VIII. Next Steps A. Review forecasts with the BOA B. Submit forecasts for BOA & FAA review C. Begin facility recommendations & alternatives D. Schedule Next Meeting 1. Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 20th, 2023 at 4:00 p.m., Menomonie City Hall with a virtual option Falch provided an update regarding AWOS replacement. KLUM is on the initial list for funding by WisBOA. Construction likely to occur in late 2024 or early 2025. No action taken. Falch provided an update regarding crackfilling. Contractor completed crackfilling and pavement markings with the exception of intersection areas. Contractor will return in Spring 2024. No action taken. Falch provided an update regarding transient hangar. Feedback from potential user has been limited. There does not appear to be sufficient justification to meet WisBOA requirements for the project at this time. No action taken. Schofield provided an update regarding the CTH B projects. Contractor completed the City’s water and sewer extension with the exception of final restoration. Contractor will return in Spring 2024. During project, Schofield noted that several signs, a shed and trees along the southeast property line appeared to encroach into the avigation easements. Schofield is working with Lindstrom Equipment to address signs and shed. City is clearing trees. County road reconstruction will commence in Spring 2024. No action taken. Next regular Airport Commission meeting will be Wednesday January 17 at 6:00pm at the Terminal Building. A motion was made by Wildenberg, seconded by Sommerfeld to adjourn. Motion passed. Submitted by: David Schofield Recording Secretary