Members of the Carroll County Airport Commission celebrated a new step for the airport. At the Aug. 21 meeting, commissioners heard that the airport now offers jet fuel for sale, inviting additional traffic to the airport.
The relatively short runway does not accommodate all jets, but smaller jets can now purchase fuel here. A hangar tenant who owns a jet had received permission from the CCAC to install a jet fuel tank next to the existing tank for aviation fuel, and that tank will make jet fuel available for sale to anyone.
During the meeting, Airport Manager Mark Pepple said sales of aviation fuel have been brisk, and the availability of jet fuel is already attracting pilots. Later in the meeting, commissioners discussed plans to improve the lighting at the fuel tanks. The nearby terminal building has lights, but pilots in the audience agreed that more lighting at the fuel tanks would help. A motion detector might also help improve service.
Construction projects
Consulting engineer Mike Stengel said a new six-bay hangar will be complete within three weeks. Another six-bay hangar is planned for construction in the spring, and Stengel said the airport could save some money by waiting to add new asphalt at both locations, rather than separating the asphalt work into two projects. That would postpone use of the first block of hangars, and commissioners said any savings in asphalt costs would be offset by the loss of rental revenue.
As an alternative, the commissioners discussed installing the asphalt at the site of the next project now. That asphalt might be damaged by heavy vehicles during construction, however.
Stengel said the state’s Division of Aeronautics has changed its policies on grants. The total amount available to this airport will not change, but that total can be broken into smaller grants. The airport is still eligible for grants with 10 or 20 percent local matching funds.
In other business:
Pepple said repairs to the exterior of the terminal will begin in mid-September.
Commissioners continued a discussion on procuring playground equipment to entertain children during Fly-Ins and other airport events. Instead of hiring a contractor for the installation, the commissioners may stage a volunteer event to save money on installation.
The area between two hangars had already been filled with base rock, and the commission will seek bids for asphalt to make that space into a permanent parking area.
Commissioners discussed several ways to encourage the growth of grass to protect from erosion along the edges of the runway.
Pepple said he had seen a listing for a possible addition to the airport’s courtesy cars, but the car had already been sold. He agreed with the commission’s efforts to find higher-quality cars that would last longer than some of the cheaper cars used in the past. Justice of the Peace Matt Phillips serves as liaison between the quorum court and the CCAC. He suggested checking with Arkansas State Surplus, which oversees the redistribution and sale of state surplus property between state agencies, tax-supported entities, and to nonprofit agencies.
A Chevrolet Cruze courtesy car has developed transmission problems, and will be auctioned off with other county property.