NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION DIVISION AVIATION SERVICES BUREAU NEWSLETTER

MARCH, 1998 web site: http://www.dot.state.ny.us Phone:518-457-2821/fax 518-457-9779 ______

George E. Pataki, Governor Joseph H. Boardman, Commissioner ______

NORTH COUNTRY ASSIST ICE operations during the ten days the ’s power was STORM RELIEF: On January 7, 1998 a major ice out. storm hit large areas of Northern depositing over four (4) inches of ice, downing trees Clinton County Airport, located in Plattsburgh, served and demolishing hundreds of miles of power and a similar role. With the main roads blocked and the telephone lines. With roads virtually impassable and ferry across closed for the winter, the thousands of people stranded without power spread airport was the only way in or out of Plattsburgh. across thousands of square miles, New York State’s Serving as the primary transportation hub for the North Country airports were to serve a crucial role in region, Clinton County Airport’s airport manager, supporting the emergency relief efforts that followed. Ralph Hensel, reported that the passenger terminal was full of passengers coming and going all day long In an effort to stay open, airport crews worked on Saturday, January 10th. Without power for two around the clock in an attempt to limit ice build up on days, the airport managed to continue their regularly their runways. The North Country NYSDOT facilities scheduled passenger service with virtually no provided road graders to two airports to assist them in interruptions. In addition, the air freight carrier removing the ice that accumulated on their runways. stationed at Clinton County Airport was able to fly in The Aviation Services Bureau (ASB) collected numerous generators and other badly needed supplies. information on the status of airport needs and operations and fed this information to the State In the vast area between Watertown and Plattsburgh, Emergency Management Office (SEMO) which Lake Placid, Adirondack, Malone, Massena, coordinated the State response to the storm. Ogdensburg and Potsdam Airports all served to support the emergency relief efforts that followed. In Jefferson County, one of the areas hardest hit by the Local and State officials, including Governor Pataki, storm, Watertown International Airport served as a were flown in and out of these airports so that they primary base of operations in supporting could survey the damage and direct the emergency reconnaissance and search and rescue missions operations. At Adirondack Airport the NYANG and conducted in that region. The New York State Power NYARNG set up their own remote refueling station to Authority, Niagara Mohawk Power Company, New support the Black Hawk and Huey helicopters that York State Police, the New York Air National Guard were temporarily stationed there as part of the relief (NYANG) and the New York Army National Guard efforts. According to Lieutenant Colonel Randy (NYARNG) were flying 28 to 36 relief sorties a day Lambrecht, with the support of these North Country for over a week out of Watertown International airports providing necessary landing and refueling sites Airport. Watertown’s operations manager, Frank the NYANG and NYARNG were able to fly over 210 Abernathy, reported that auxiliary power allowed the hours as part of “Operation Winter Weather”. Based operation of fuel pumps, hangar doors and kept the on their review of the response to this storm, SEMO terminal warm in support of these emergency is considering a larger role for airports as staging areas

1 in the planning for future emergencies. For more Oneida County (Utica) 1999 3.0 information, contact Steve Campbell. Greater Rochester International 1991 150.0 TERMINAL IMPROVEMENTS AT AIRPORTS Stewart International 1998 16.0 SINCE 1990: The recent opening of the new Syracuse-Hancock International 1996 50.0 passenger terminal at Buffalo Niagara International Tompkins County (Ithaca) 1994 11.0 and the scheduled opening of Albany County Airport Westchester County 1996 21.0 within a year of each other, among others, plus the recent ground breaking on the New International Statewide Total: $3348.3 Arrival’s Building at J. F. Kennedy Airport, have The cost estimates are not for direct comparison between airports since, in some drawn attention to the fact that substantial investment cases, the cost includes parking, roadways and apron improvements while in other has been made to improve these facilities all across the cases, they do not. Contact Harriet Bregman for additional information. State. The Aviation Services Bureau surveyed air NYSDOT SUPPORTS AIR SAFETY: The Aviation carrier airports in New York State and identified Services Bureau (ASB) funded a portion of the improvements to terminals including year opened or fourteen Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association expected to be open and estimated total cost, in (AOPA) Air Safety Foundation’s (ASF) Safety millions of dollars. In some cases, the airports funded Seminars held in the state during April, May, October the improvements with a large amount of local or and November, 1997. In conjunction with the AOPA other types of non-federal funding, in other cases, ASF, the Bureau also purchased twenty-five Seminars federal and/or state funding was also used. Following in a Box and distributed them to the FAA Flight is a list of these airports: Standards District Offices (FSDO) throughout the Airport Year Est. Total state. The ASF Safety Advisor pamphlet on ($ Millions) Operations at Nontowered Airports was also purchased and distributed to all airports open to the Albany 1998 158.0 public in NYS. If you don’t know your local FSDO’s Binghamton 2000 14.0 phone number contact Harriet Bregman. Buffalo Niagara International 1997 158.0 Chautauqua County/Jamestown 1990 2.0 PRIVATIZATION OF STEWART INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: On June 18, 1997, Clinton County (Plattsburg) 1990 0.3 The New York State Department of Transportation Elmira/Corning 1990 7.0 (NYSDOT), in conjunction with the Empire State Long Island MacArthur (Islip) 1999 16.0 Development Corporation, the agency responsible for New York City airports - privatization initiatives in New York State, issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the long-term lease of John F Kennedy 2130.0 Stewart International Airport. The RFP cited five (5) Terminal 1 1998 450.0 objectives for privatization: Terminals 2&3 1998 150.0 Terminal 4 (International 2001 1200.0 1) Enhance Performance and Efficiency of Arrivals Bldg.) Stewart Airport for Airlines and Other Airport Users; Terminal 7 1991 120.0 2) Enhance the Surrounding Business Terminal 8 1997 200.0 Environment; Tower Air 1995 10.0 3) Develop the Facility in an Environmentally LaGuardia Airport 615.0 Responsible Manner; 4) Return Assets to the Tax Base; Central Terminal Building 1992 340.0 5) Provide an Appropriate Financial Return to US Airways Terminal 1992 250.0 the State. US Airways Shuttle 1992 25.0

2 On October 17, 1997, the State received proposals Planning for future deicing conferences/workshops is from five (5) firms, including Airport Group currently underway. If you have questions or International; American Port Services (formerly suggestions for future conferences, please contact Johnson Controls); DM Airport Developers; Steve Iachetta, Albany’s Airport Planner, at (518) LCOR/Schiphol; and National Express Group, a U.K. 464-5010. firm. IMPROVED ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE BEGINS: On November 24, 1997, NYSDOT’s Preliminary The new, improved Essential Air Service (EAS) Application for inclusion of Stewart Airport in the Program was scheduled to begin during the first week FAA’s Airport Privatization Pilot Program was of January providing three flights a day (essentially accepted for review by the FAA. Stewart is the first adding an early morning flight), Monday through airport in the US to be accepted into the pilot Friday and two fights a day during the weekends. This program. is an increase from 2 flights a day, 5 days a week. The North Country Airports of Massena, Ogdensburg and ALBANY AIRPORT HOSTS DE-ICING Watertown were ready to begin but Mother Nature CONFERENCES: The Albany County Airport had other plans. While the worst ice storm in history Authority hosted two, one-day conferences at Albany hit the North Country, the new and improved EAS County Airport providing airport owners, airline was grounded. Flights were either canceled or were representatives, product manufacturers and only operating during daylight hours. The increased governmental officials a forum to discuss and promote level of service was delayed nearly one month, but the establishment of cost effective solutions to aircraft preliminary observations are that passengers seem to deicing regulatory issues and operational strategies for be taking advantage of the early flights and we are containment, collection, treatment and disposal happy to report that a car bearing a Canadian license systems. plate was spotted parked at the Watertown Airport.

The first conference was held this past summer on EAS is a subsidy program to preserve scheduled air June 18, 1997. The primary focus was environmental carrier service to remote small communities. This regulatory mandates and threshold limits pertaining to increased level of service is the result of the USDOT aircraft deicing. Representatives from New York obtaining a dedicated funding source for this program. State’s Health Department and the Department of When NYSDOT was made aware of USDOT’s Environmental Conservation met with airport owner intentions to increase service, NYSDOT alerted the representatives to discuss these issues. North Country Airports and coordinated with them in an attempt to influence preferred destinations as well On January 29, 1998 a second deicing conference was as an early morning flight. Contact Laura Lemire for held to present the results of a field test of an additional information. anaerobic fluidized bed reactor used to treat airport deicing storm water waste. The project, which STATE MULTI-MODAL PROGRAM: In 1996, the represents an innovative and economic approach to State authorized a four year, $350 million (M) Multi- treating such wastes, was developed from a 1997 Modal Program, providing reimbursement for four research program sponsored by the New York State transportation categories: 1) rail, 2) port, 3) airport Energy Research and Development Authority and the and 4) state and local highway and bridge projects. Albany County Airport Authority, in cooperation with The specific projects have been identified in a Clough, Harbour and Associates Tech Services LLC, Memorandum of Understanding between the EFX Systems Inc., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Governor and the legislature. Airport projects must and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. also be consistent with an approved Airport Layout Participants were given a tour of the operational pilot Plan, have a 10-year service life, and may not be used reactor, as well as new terminal construction. to match federal funds. The program currently includes 36 airport projects totaling $9.2 M. Included

3 in this total is $1.9 M for hangar development; $4.35 entitlement) and $4.3 M State dollars were awarded M for terminal development which includes $3.0 M for to these airports. Four non-primary Commercial Broome County; $1.25 M for fuel facilities and $1.0 Service (CS) airports received $4.5 M in federal M for pavement work. Sponsors were sent Project funding and $.25 M in State matching dollars. Information Sheets in January, 1998. The sheets are Thirteen Reliever airports (R) received $12.6 M in returned to NYSDOT’s regional offices for review and federal funding and an additional $702,000 in State approval. Agreements are required for all private matching funds. Five General Aviation (GA) airports sponsors and for municipal sponsors when the project received $1.1 M in federal dollars and matched by amount exceeds $1 million. Reimbursements will be $.06 M in State dollars. A breakdown of funding by made quarterly, and are expected to be made during airport type is provided below: February-May-August and November 1998. For information, contact the appropriate NYSDOT Airport Type Total $ Federal $ State $ Local $ PA 22,448,216 16,836,162 -0- 5,612,054 regional office multi-modal administrator or Douglas AC 49,973,544 42,792,762 4,372,766 4,206,968 CS 5,049,445 4,462,600 252,472 252,472 Fox. R 14,058,987 12,653,088 702,949 702,949 GA 1,238,581 1,114,723 61,929 61,929 ------1997 AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FUNDING Total: 92,768,773 77,859,335 5,390,116 10,836,372 SUMMARY: In Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1997 (10/1/96 - 9/30/97), New York State Airports The airport types shown above are described below: received over $77 million (M) in Federal Airport PA airports are John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia Improvement Program (AIP) funding, a 44% increase airports. over FFY96. This amount represented 5.3% of the AC are primary air carrier airports with at least 10,000 national total, up from 3.7% in FFY96. New York annual enplanements. State contributed an additional $5.4 M in matching CS are commercial service airports with annual funds. With a local share of $5.2 M, the total enplanements between 2,500 and 9,999. development program was over $92.7 M for 1997. R are airports designated by the FAA as having the The program funded development projects at 37 function of relieving congestion at a commercial airports in the State. Airfield and landside projects service airport. accounted for 90 percent of the funding. A summary GA are general aviation airports open to the public of the funding by project type is provided below: and include all other eligible airports for federal and state funding. Contact Douglas Fox for more Improvement Type Total $ % information. Airfield Improvement 62,739,917 68 FEDERAL LEGISLATION FOCUS IN 1998: Nineteen hundred and ninety-eight is a critical year for Landside improvements 20,369,463 22 the future of the federal aviation program. The FAA’s Property Acquisition/Easemnt 2,683,966 3 Airport Improvement Program needs to be reauthorized. Aviation advocates are hoping that the Obstruction Removal 219,618 0 program will be authorized for five years rather than Planning/Design 5,543,420 6 the two years in the current legislation. Aviation Miscellaneous 1,212,389 1 interests are supporting an increase in the appropriation level to at least the $2 billion level TOTAL $92,768,773 100 recommended by the bi-partisan National Civil Aviation Review Commission in its report “Avoiding Another view of how the above funds were allocated Aviation Gridlock and Reducing the Accident Rate," is by airport type. The two Port Authority of New December 1997. That level would represent a $0.3 York and New Jersey (PA) airports and thirteen billion or 18% increase over the FFY 1998 level of primary Air carrier (AC) airports received a major $1.7 billion. The President’s proposed budget portion of the AIP funding. Approximately $60 M recommends FFY 1999 appropriations at the current Federal (composed of 49% discretionary and 51% $1.7 billion level. The issue of increases in the level of

4 Passenger Facility Charges (PFC) authorization for Advisory Committee (TAC) in the near future. A final commercial service airports will also be considered. It TAC meeting will be scheduled to receive comments is important for all those interested in promoting on the final draft documents prior to release of the aviation in New York State to advise New York State report and a presentation of results. Two full TAC Congressional Delegation on their position on these meetings have been held to date on portions of the issues. Contact Rick Chimera for more information. report. The Aviation Services Bureau also met in December with a subcommittee of the New York AIRPORT INSPECTIONS: Beginning this April, the Airport Managers Association to receive input. NYSDOT Aviation Services Bureau will resume the Contact Joe Testo for more information. FAA required 5010 inspections of General Aviation airports open to the public in New York State. DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT AIRPORTS SUMMARIZED: The Niagara Frontier After the FAA supplies NYSDOT with a list of Transportation Authority with input from the New airports to be inspected for the period April 1, 1998 to York State Association of Regional Planning March 31, 1999, Mr. Ashley Tyrell, Civil Engineer II, Commissions and NYSDOT completed a report will contact the airports. He will notify the airport entitled New York State: Economic Development manager and owner of the pending visit one week in Property Listings for Airports. This report describes advance and then the day before the visit. A response the acreage, zoning, utilities, airfield and surface will be requested by phone to 518-457-2821 or by access at 48 airports in the State that responded to the sending him an e-mail to: [email protected]. survey. The report also provides information about the airport, contact personnel and site map. This As part of the inspection process, the airport manager information is being made available to various offices and the owner will be invited to review the inspection of the Empire State Development Corporation, report and confirm that the information is correct. including each regional office, the State Real Estate Official documentation will be requested for any Agents Association, and others interested in airport name change and/or use. promoting economic development and aviation in New York State. Increased development These inspections are the basis for information made at airports can increase airport operating revenue, and available to pilots in a publication issued every 56 days help meet the State’s objective of financial stability for by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric its system of airports. Administration entitled AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY. These directories may be purchased in ECONOMIC IMPACT OF GENERAL AVIATION individual volumes or by subscription and NYS is AIRPORTS: The Regional Planning Boards are included in the Northeast regional volume. moving ahead to provide economic impact assessments for eleven GA airports that were not CASP SPECIAL STUDIES ADVANCE: Seven covered individually in the State’s 1992 Report on special studies funded by the FAA under the Economic Impact of Aviation in New York State, and Continuing Aviation System Planning (CASP) to update the assessment at six other airports. As of program have recently been completed, or are February 27, 1998, seven reports have been completed advancing toward completion this year, under for Finger Lakes Regional, Genesee County, contracts with NYSDOT. Descriptions of these Hamilton, Kamp, Penn Yan, Oswego County and studies follow: Whitford’s airports. The 1992 Statewide report quantified over $31 billion in economic activity and NEW YORK STATE AVIATION SYSTEM PLAN nearly 400,000 jobs from commercial service and (SASP) NEARS COMPLETION: The Department general aviation airports combined, with over $200 expects to send a copy of the full draft SASP report million in economic activity, and 2,600 jobs attributed including a Strategic Planning Chapter, Executive to general aviation statewide. Contact Joe Testo for Summary, and Promotional Brochure to the Technical more information.

5 AIRPORT PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT AIRPORT OBSTRUCTION STUDY: The Statewide SYSTEM: Work began on the statewide Airport Study is an effort to identify airports with obstructions Pavement Management System on September 2, 1997 using the Photoslope method, whereby photographs with an expected completion date of August 31, 1998. taken at each end are manipulated to produce When completed the system will assist airports in a single line on a photograph that identifies approach making cost-effective decisions regarding pavement surface obstructions (anything above the line). maintenance and rehabilitation. The system allows for Detailed obstruction analyses’s will be performed for the eventual inclusion of all airports in the state, three airports with known obstruction problems, and however fifty airports were selected for the initial Photoslope will be accomplished at 31 airports. This study. The study is divided into four main sections: work will form the basis for future federal AIP Records Review projects to correct problems identified in the study. Pavement Network Definition The project contract with Dufresne-Henry (GCR is Pavement Condition Survey doing the Photoslope work ) is currently undergoing Reports final revision prior to formal execution, and start of work is expected spring, 1998 and completed by fall. The Records Review and the Pavement Network Contact Lorrin Bird for more information. Definition sections are completed. The Pavement Condition Survey will begin in early March, weather ASSISTANCE IN PREPARING BUSINESS permitting. The consultant, McFarland, Johnson, of PLANS FOR GA AIRPORTS: Matthew R. Kunke Binghamton, will inform the airport managers of the has replaced Jack Gaffney as the Empire State date the Condition Survey is scheduled for their Development Corporation (ESDC) staff person airport. assigned to assist general aviation airports to improve their financial stability. He immediately picked up on We take this opportunity to thank the airport completing the first draft business plan prepared by managers for their cooperation and assistance during Jack Gaffney for Randall Airport. Additional airports the Records Review phase and look forward to the will follow after that one is completed. The Genesee airports’ continuing assistance and cooperation during Finger Lakes Regional Planning Board is also the remainder of the project. Contact Ashley Tyrell for preparing two business plans under its CASP grant. additional information. Questions on this effort should be directed to Joseph Testo. GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) STUDY: GPS uses satellites and aircraft use GPS receivers to AIRPORT LAND USES STUDY PRESENTED AT accurately locate the aircraft. The GPS provides NYAMA MEETING: A presentation was made by locational information to the pilot for navigation and staff from the Capital District Regional Planning instrument approaches. This GPS study is generating Commission (CDRPC) on a study by the New York two detailed instrument approach procedures that will State Association of Regional Councils (NYSARC) be submitted to FAA for review and publication, and and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority will prepare runway end coordinates for five airports outlining airport related land use issues and strategies (runway coordinates must be accurate to 0.01 of a to address these issues at the New York Airport second for FAA use in approach preparation, and GPS Management Association (NYAMA) Spring, 1997 is being used for the surveys). The contract for this meeting in Syracuse. The presentation was followed project with C & S Engineers (Joseph Del Balzo by two roundtable discussions. The first session dealt Associates are the subcontractor) has been approved, with statewide airport/land use issues while the second and Notice To Proceed has been given. Completion is discussion focussed on possible actions. expected by Spring, 1999, and the study is limited to general aviation airports. Contact Lorrin Bird for In the first session each participant was asked to fill more information. out a questionnaire rating each of the issues identified in the land use study. The survey results indicated the

6 protection of the Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) from Education of municipal planners was preferred to state incompatible land uses and difficulty in removing off- legislation. It was also very clear in the discussions site tree obstructions were the top two issues of that there was limited to no support to create an concern. Lack of local municipal support in additional bureaucracy. In terms of additional FAR understanding airport needs, incompatible land use Part 77 Review, it was felt that the review should be regulations and lack of local coordination with administered on the regional or local level rather than projects that may impact the airport facility were also through the state. There was also support for the ranked as major concerns. The least critical issues had preparation of a statewide Generic Environmental to do with limited funding for obstruction removal and Impact Statement to assist in the streamlining of noise impacts and complaints by adjacent property environmental reviews similar to programs in place in owners. New Jersey and Massachusetts.

The discussions indicated that municipal support was Although off-site airport obstruction removal was a high priority since good relations portend more rated as a critical issue in Session 1, there was little effective management of other issues. Given the support to allow privately owned airports to remove administrative changes that occur at the municipal critical tree obstructions without easements since it level, a long term policy approach to maintain an would be seen as adversarial. ongoing relationship was advocated. Obstructions at privately owned AIP eligible airports was deemed a Included in the broader study were a listing of critical concern since they have no funding source or potential methods to address specified land use issues right to remove off-site obstructions. This is going to for consideration by the airport community and the become a greater concern with the availability of GPS state. The recommended actions for consideration also approach procedures since, if obstructions are not included examples of applications from other states. If removed, the minimums for the approach will not you would like a copy of the Existing Airport Land improve much over visual approaches. Use Issues Document or the discussion summary associated with the Roundtable Sessions held at the Land use related issues were of particular concern in Spring NYAMA conference, please contact CDRPC rural communities where there are limited or no land at (518) 393-1715. use mechanisms in place to address compatibility concerns. NEW PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE: The following three publications are available, free of The second session dealt with recommended strategies charge, upon request to the Aviation Services to address land use issues. Similar to Session 1, each Bureau.(See next page for the phone and address). participant was asked to prioritize from a list of recommended actions derived from the land use study. New York State Inventory of Aviation Facilities, Based on the roundtable discussion and rating February 1, 1998: This is an annual inventory of all assignments, the highest rated action oriented aviation facilities located in New York State prepared priorities included the need to create and maintain a pursuant to State legislation. The report contains a cooperative relationship with municipal planners. map of New York State airports (also available Specifically, there was strong support to establish separately, unfolded) and a summary of changes in programs to work with municipal leaders to: airport names in the last year. The Inventory lists 1. Include airports in their long range planning facilities in order by community name and provides strategies, some limited information. 2. Be aware of the FAR Part 77 notification requirements, and 1997 New York State Economic Development 3. Develop appropriate land use regulations, Property Listing for Airports: This report consists of including protection of the RPZ, to assure a listing of airports with property shown that is compatibility with surrounding land use available for non-aviation development. activities. Establishment of or Improvement to Privately-Owned

7 Airports in New York State, December, 1997: This booklet includes the laws and details the steps required to open/modify or close a landing facility. ______

The Aviation Services Bureau staff is listed below for informational purposes. The staff was involved in contributing articles for this newsletter. They can be contacted by phone at 518-457-2821, by fax at 518-457-9779, or by e-mail by using the person’s initial and last name @gw.dot.state.ny.us. An example for the e-mail is the address for Richard Chimera: [email protected]. For mail, use the address shown as the return address below.

Timothy Gilchrist, Director, Passenger Transportation Division Richard Chimera, Director, Aviation Services Bureau Carolyn Demkowski, Secretary

Staff (in alphabetical order): Lorrin Bird, Harriet Bregman, Steve Campbell, Douglas Fox, Denise Geraldi, Bobbi Jansen, Laura Lemire, Bob Pawlowski, Joe Testo and Ashley Tyrell.

Thanks also to the Capital District Regional Planning Commission for its news article on land use.

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New York State Department of Transportation Passenger Transportation Division Aviation Services Bureau 1220 Washington Avenue Albany, New York 12232-0414