MUNICIPAL AIRPORTS AVIATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Thursday, March 3, 2011 Anchorage Fire Training Center 1140 Airport Heights Road Anchorage, Alaska 99508 ATTENDANCE COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT Dick Armstrong Don DeVoe Tony Follett Jim Powell Rick Davis COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT Jim Cieplak * Kimball Forrest * ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATIVES Gordon Edmiston, MRI Air Traffic Control Tower Rocky Capozzi, UAA Aviation Technology Division Kevin Cramer, Elmendorf Airfield Operations Andy Hutzel, Lake Hood Seaplane Base AIRPORT STAFF PRESENT David A. Lundeby, Airport Manager Darlene Sivyer, Commission Secretary (343-6303) 1. CALL TO ORDER Don DeVoe, Commission Vice Chair, called the meeting to order at 12:00 p.m. 2. SELF INTRODUCTIONS Airport Commissioners and meeting attendees introduced themselves. 3. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING Minutes of the January 13, 2011 meeting were unanimously approved as submitted. 4. AIRPORT MANAGER’S REPORT Dave informed the Commission that no Vehicle/Pedestrian Deviations (VPDs) have occurred so far this year. We received two noise complaints during the past two months. One complaint was a result of an aircraft making an early Runway 25 crosswind turn over the Fairview neighborhood. The other complainant called when an aircraft departed straight out on Runway 22. Airport maintenance was very busy removing snow drifts caused by the windy conditions; however, the recent warm temperature has allowed them to scrape off the last of the ice. The runways are now cleared down to the pavement. Merrill Field has received several proposals for our Architectural and Engineering (A/E) Pro- fessional Services contract. The review committee is in the process of evaluating the propos- als, and we hope to have a contract in place within a month. The contract will need to go through the Municipal award approval process. The new consultant will need to design a pro- ject for this summer. * excused absence Municipal Airports Aviation Advisory Commission Meeting of March 3, 2011 Page 2 of 3 4. AIRPORT MANAGER’S REPORT (continued) The Taxiway Quebec Rehabilitation project will continue this year. The project area will con- tinue east through the Taxiway Golf intersection, and some aircraft will need to be temporarily relocated during construction. The Professional Services contract for the new Master Plan will go out for proposal in one or two months. Dave announced that Jim Cieplak has been appointed to the Commission; he is the Alaska Airmen’s representative. Also, the Mayor has recommended the reappointment of Don DeVoe to the Commission. This appointment should go to the Assembly for approval in the next cou- ple weeks. The sewer line at the Airport Manager’s Office froze up several times this winter. We have de- termined that a combination of an extremely shallow service line and low usage is causing the problem. The problem will be fixed this summer. Several businesses on the airport are ex- periencing the same problem. 5. ORGANIZATION REPORTS A. MRI Air Traffic Control Tower Gordon Edmiston reported that a vehicle caused damage to the fencing at the tower; he thanked Dave for his quick response in getting the fence repaired. There have been no complaints from pilots. Staffing is expected to be reduced this summer. B. UAA Aviation Technology Division Rocky Capozzi stated that there is nothing to report. C. Elmendorf Airfield Operations Kevin Cramer reported that the 176th Wing has now moved to Elmendorf which will create more air traffic. Runway 16/24 will be closed from May 1 through June 2. D. Lake Hood Seaplane Base Andy Hutzel reported that two pilot radio-controlled sliding gates have been installed and are operational; the new gates will increase safety. Also in the interest of safety, a contractor is designing a plan for pedestrian signage on the west side of Lake Hood as this area is open to pedestrian traffic. A shore stabilization project is slated for this summer; 60 aircraft slips will be reno- vated. The shoreline has eroded almost to the roadway; the project would push out the shore 20 to 25 feet. Dave asked Andy how many floatplane slips are on Lake Hood. Andy replied that the State of Alaska manages about 800 aircraft spaces, of those, 370 are float slips. An additional 100 float slips are on leaseholds. Dave also mentioned that there are van- dalism concerns at Birchwood airport and that he recently met with Dick Lockner, Sec- retary of the Birchwood Airport Association—security fencing was discussed. Andy re- sponded that safety and security are the main concerns at Lake Hood and that he is not aware of many vandalism incidents on the airport. The Lake Hood Pilots Association will be hosting a pancake breakfast on Saturday, March 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The event will be held at the blue hangar at the corner of Aircraft Drive and Lake Shore Drive. Municipal Airports Aviation Advisory Commission Meeting of March 3, 2011 Page 3 of 3 6. SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS None. 7. OLD BUSINESS AND UNFINISHED ACTION A. Hudson Circle Egress to 5th Avenue Dave reported that the Municipality of Anchorage Traffic Division is conducting a field survey of all cul-de-sac egresses from Merrill Field onto East 5th Avenue. The survey should be completed this week, and Dave hopes the situation will be resolved by the next meeting. 8. NEW BUSINESS None. 9. PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING AVIATION Steve Strait, State of Alaska Aviation Advisory Board, noted that legislation has been pro- posed to eliminate the state fuel tax which would decrease or eliminate the aviation fuel tax revenue now allocated to Merrill Field. Dave stated that should this legislation pass, lease rates may be increased to offset this loss of revenue. Steve replied that it is unlikely this pro- posed legislation will move forward; however, if the legislation does pass, there is a provision in the bill for non-state owned airports to receive a supplement from the State to offset this loss of revenue. Steve also mentioned that Jeannie Johnson, Juneau Airport Manager, asked him about mu- nicipally owned airports being represented on the State of Alaska Aviation Advisory Board. Steve recommended that an Association of Municipal Airports be formed; then the group could solicit for representation on the Aviation Advisory Board. 10. COMMISSION COMMENTS None. 11. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m. .