Public Works and Utilities Sound Skies Airport & Ferry Administration Newsletter, Spring 2014 Upcoming Events Join us for the last TIW Master Plan Update Meeting on June 11. Learn more on page 2. Gig Harbor Wings & Wheels returns Sunday, July 6 to TIW. See page 3 for more details. Thun Cubs and Classics Fly-in is back at Pierce County Airport-Thun Field on Aug. 24. Visit thuncubsandclassics.com for details. Announcements Gov. Jay Inslee declared Improvements underway at both airports June 2014 as General Aviation Appreciation Month. Visitors to both Pierce County Airport— Read the proclamation at Thun Field and Tacoma Narrows Airport www.wsdot.wa.gov/News. will notice significant improvements throughout the year. Learn about a vacancy on We are pleased to announce a $1.6 the Thun Field Advisory million project to install new roofs and Commission at doors and upgrade and replace the piercecountywa.org/airports. electrical systems at five county-owned Applications due July 3. hangar buildings at Pierce County Airport-Thun Field. About Sound Skies Sound Skies is produced This exciting and needed work is quarterly by the Pierce expected to be done in late summer and THUN FIELD County Public Works and early fall. These buildings have not been Utilities Airport and Ferry renovated in more than 40 years. A PIERCE COUNTY AIRPORT Division. It features information about Pierce Tenants will be asked to relocate for up Tacoma Narrows Airport will also be County Airport-Thun Field to two weeks to designated areas at the spruced up, as six county-owned buildings (PLU) in Puyallup and airport, and possibly Tacoma Narrows will be painted this summer. Tacoma Narrows Airport Airport. Rent will be reduced for aircraft (TIW) in Gig Harbor. Email that have been temporarily relocated. Also, the well pump and the well pump [email protected]. The county is working on these details, motor at Tacoma Narrows Airport have us to receive Sound Skies and will communicate well in advance to beenTHUN replaced with a smaller,FIELD more efficient via email. airport tenants. design. The system has more than enough A PIERCE COUNTY AIRPORT capacity to serve the airport needs now and Tenants will be provided with updated in the future. Contact Us leases upon move-in to the renovated Deb Wallace, Airport hangars. Individual door locks will be and Ferry Administrator, The antiquated domestic booster pump provided to each new hangar tenant. (253) 798-7109 system that provides drinking water has also been replaced. Airport outreach materials and signage PLU: (253) 841-3779 will get a new look as new logos have Keep an eye out over the next few months been created for both airports. Check out TIW: (253) 853-5844 as these exciting improvements take place. the new design in the next column. Open house on TIW master plan on June 11 The Tacoma Narrows Airport’s master plan update is Learn more about the Master Plan Update nearing completion, and the community has the chance to learn about the preferred alternative at an open house June 11 in Gig Harbor. Visit www.piercecountywa.org/tacomanarrows. This is the fifth public meeting that has been held as part of an extensive airport master plan update process that began in January 2013, and included input from the possible extension of the runway. The airport traffic clearly public and representatives from the aviation community, does not justify an extension at this time, as it falls short of businesses, local and state government, and more. the required 500 annual operations by business jet aircraft that require additional runway length. Many of these Participants evaluated the current state of the airport as aircraft need an extra 1,000 feet of runway length to depart well as potential alternatives to determine how best to fully loaded. meet the community’s long-term development needs. Topics have included the airport’s inventory, aviation While an extension of the runway’s length is not justified, forecasts on growth expected in the next 20 years, facility the master plan does include a runway protection zone requirements and development alternatives. that preserves the airspace from intrusions such as cell towers and tall buildings in the event that an extension of The Airport Layout Plan has been updated to show both the runway’s length is ever justified in the future. existing facilities and recommended improvements for the future. Several booths describing the recommended “By including the runway protection zone in the plan, we Airport Layout Plan will be set up at the open house, which are making it possible for the issue to be revisited by future runs from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club of South generations,” Wallace said. “If an extension is considered Puget Sound, 8502 Skansie Ave. in Gig Harbor. in the future, a number of requirements would have to be addressed, including an amendment to the Gig Harbor “The master plan for the airport combines insights and Peninsula Community Plan, which currently states that the feedback from a wide array of stakeholders,” said Deb community does not support an extension.” Wallace, Public Works and Utilities airport and ferry administrator. “This open house is an opportunity for the The preferred alternative will be presented to Pierce community to learn about the master plan and provide County Executive Pat McCarthy and the Pierce comments before the plan is finalized.” County Council, and then sent to the Federal Aviation Administration in the fall. A topic of interest throughout the update has been the WSDOT: Airport funding gap revealed Courtesy: Washington State Department of Transportation WSDOT’s share of the overall program need of $3.6 billion is more than $240 million, resulting in an average annual A recently completed study supports the importance of need of more than $12 million. state and federal grants to fund projects for preservation and capital improvement at Washington’s airports. The study identifies some of the potential consequences of not funding capital needs at Washington state airports: The Airport Investment Study, available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/aviation/AirportInvestmentStudy, • The state could experience a potential loss of $2 billion estimates that the state’s 134 public-use airports will need in economic output, 13,600 unrealized jobs and $74 $3.6 billion in projects during the next 20 years. million in uncollected tax revenue. • Airports would face negative impacts to facilities and The Washington State Department of Transportation’s operations, especially at smaller general aviation Airport Aid Program provides an average of $1.1 million in airports ineligible for federal funds. state airport grants per year. During the 20-year study • Airport funding would focus on core infrastructure period the state grant program is forecasted to average (e.g., runways and taxiways), while other critical $1.4 million per year. infrastructure would likely be maintained and improved at reduced levels. Wings and Wheels returns to Tacoma Narrows Airport July 6 Courtesy: City of Gig Harbor The ticket prices are: 18 and older, $15; seniors and military ID card holders, $10; kids 6 to 17, $5; and kids 5 Come join us at the fourth annual Gig Harbor Wings & and under are free. Wheels event will take place on July 6 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Tacoma Narrows Airport. Learn more at www.freedomfair.com/wings-wheels. The event is presented by USAA, and it promises to bring H A R B G O as much fun and memories as in previous years with a I R th annual G 4 classic car show, jet car, vintage warbirds, live music and plenty of food. Wi ls ngs & Whee The Hub at Gig Harbor is open and a big part of the TACOMA NARROWS AIRPORT (TIW) festivities with a menu befitting the day and a beer garden July 6, 2014 • 11am–5pm for those with a thirst for more than water or pop. Various other food and beverage vendors will also be on site. Car show Kid’s zone The car show has boasted more than 150 classic and Airplane fly-bys Plane rides custom cars and promises to have just as many or more Food this year. Room has been made to allow up to 250. Griot’s Vintage Warbirds Live entertainment Garage has provided goodie bags for the first 150 entries. University Place Refuse has donated the use of a music stage, so there will be live music throughout the day. Purchase tickets at Bill Braack in the Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Car will return for freedomfair.com/wings-wheels.html Sign up for the 4th Annual Wings & Wheels Car Show his fourth year with us. Always a crowd pleaser, we’ll see Contact Larry Hanson at [email protected] or (253) 377–2525 if he can win a race against a warbird this year. Warbirds scheduled to appear this year are a pair of P-51 Mustangs, a Hawker Sea Fury, Stearman Biplane, T-33 Shooting Star, Extra 300 and a F4U Corsair or two. A Safety Minute Safety is Priority No. 1 Ground safety can be a challenge when aircraft, automobiles and people share the same space. That’s why driving or walking on the Aircraft Movement areas including runway, taxiway, fueling, and transient aircraft areas is not allowed. Aircraft cockpit windows have a limited viewing area. It can be difficult or impossible for pilots to see vehicles and pedestrians, particularly behind the wings or under the nose of the aircraft. When driving be mindful of aircraft taxiing to or from hangars, tie-down areas, crossing roads and maneuvering around parked vehicles.