The April 17 meeting of the Carroll County Airport Commission included news of current and future construction projects.
Consulting engineer Joey Wallace said most of the site work has been completed for a new six-bay hangar. Concrete should be poured within a couple of weeks, and the building is scheduled to arrive in July. With that project under way, the airport is already planning another six-bay hangar. Bids were opened earlier this month, and the low bidder came within a few thousand dollars of the anticipated price. Wallace said this contractor has a good performance history.
Costs for airport construction projects have climbed recently, and Wallace outlined a complicated series of grants to fund the project. A pair of 100-percent grants will provide part of the funds, but a 90/10 grant from the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics will provide most of the funding. The airport would be responsible for 10 percent of the $535,000 state grant. Completion of both these hangar buildings will allow the airport to issue new leases to pilots.
Jet fuel coming:
A new tank should be installed by May 11 to hold jet fuel, making the airport more attractive to smaller jets. The tank was purchased by a hangar tenant who owns a small jet, and the airport agreed to provide a site for the tank if others could purchase jet fuel from the tank. Airport Manager Mark Pepple explained that the airport would have to provide $2,000 to wire the new tank into the billing software, but that initial expense would eliminate future problems.
The tank owner will receive a discount for a period of time, so he will receive fuel at cost. The commissioners also discussed offering a discount to Survival Flight Inc. That company will provide emergency medical transportation, and they are expected to use several hundred gallons of fuel each week. Commissioners decided to offer the company a 10-percent discount, and that arrangement will be reviewed later to see if it serves the airport.
The commissioners discussed changes that will be needed to accommodate the new tank. An adjacent paved area currently provides tie-down locations for several planes, and some of those tie-downs may be eliminated to allow jets to taxi to the new tank. The tie-downs bring in small fees, while the new tank will provide the airport with needed income. Other areas for tie-downs were discussed. The airport may pave over a grassy area to provide easier access to the fueling station.
Commissioners briefly discussed fire safety issues surrounding the fuel tanks for aviation fuel and jet fuel.
In other business:
- Concrete will soon be poured for a new six-bay hangar, and commissioners expressed concerns that they have not yet received official drawings for the concrete.
- Pepple said fuel sales have risen sharply since problems with the fuel pump have been eliminated. He reported on purchasing an additional 8,000 gallons. The airport’s cost has risen from $4.60 to $5.95 with recent spikes in overall fuel prices.
- The airport will have to find room in the budget for $19,000, the estimated cost of bringing electricity to new hangars.
- The airport will host a three-day summer camp, in partnership with Berryville’s Parks and Recreation Dept. The camp will be held near the end of June, with morning sessions for younger participants and afternoon sessions for older students.
- Commissioner Morris Pate outlined a Veterans Appreciation Day, scheduled for June 6.
- Termites have been discovered in part of the terminal building, and commissioners discussed whether to hire a service of perform the eradication in-house.