Board Members in Attendance: Rick Bryant, David Downing, Tim Holverson, Bob Newton, Paul Stewart, and Jim Stogsdill

Rick Bryant called the meeting to order at 6:35 PM.  David Downing recorded the minutes.

 

1.                  Review and approval of January meeting minutes

The February meeting minutes were reviewed and approved by a 6-0 vote.

2.                  Airport Manager's Report

T-Hangar Project

 

Debbie Van Saun has been working on several items relative to the T-Hangar Project.  These include:

A.                 The FAA still has to complete an agency review before it can give their

approval.  Debbie is calling the FAA office every week to check on the status. 

B.                 KPL is working on moving their lines. 

C.                The amendment with Al Stuber has been signed, which includes a legal description of the acre he leases from the City. 

D.                The city has received word from BOTA that they have received and are processing our requests for tax exemption. 

E.                 Allen Belot is working on a design issue (dealing with drains for the hangars) will probably entail a small change order (<$5,000).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lifestar Project

 

The agreement to sublease from GUT Works has been signed.  The sublease has been reviewed by both parties, and we await copies of the completed documents from GutWorks.  A site plan needs to be submitted to Planning Department to process an administrative site plan update.  To date, details regarding the planned improvements to the asphalt parking area have not been received from GutWorks.

 

Farming Leases Updated

 

The Airport Manager is working on updating the leases for farming airport property that we have with Roger Pine and Pat Ross.

 

Runway Extension Project

 

The City is annexing the property purchased for the runway protection area (south of 24/20).  Also, the City is taking bids on demolishing the old house on the corner.

 

KDHE Air Quality Monitoring Equipment

 

Letters were sent to tenants at the airport notifying them of the temporary unit sitting on the west side of the airport that will be utilized by KDHE to monitor air quality.  The unit will be at the airport until fall.

 

 

Website Development

 

Rick Bryant has volunteered to work with City staff on the development of a web site for the Lawrence Municipal Airport.

 

 

3.                  FBO Report

Lloyd Hetrick indicated that he would appreciate help in coordinating with Ham Construction and the FAA to insure that the localizer and glideslope are down for the the minimum period and do not conflict with major events.

Lloyd also announced that, effective May 1, 2003, Hetrick Aviation is giving on-field customers a $0.05 per gallon and maintenance customers a $0.20 per gallon discount on gasoline purchases.

Hetrick Aviation received a letter from a group from the University of Wyoming who flew to Lawrence attend the KU-Wyoming basketball game.  During their stay in Lawrence, there was a major storm.  The letter commented on the exceptional service provided by Hetrick Aviation and the City under very trying circumstances. 

4.         Minimum Standards Committee

 

The Minimum Standards Committee met on 3/28 and reviewed the FAA Advisory Circular (150/5190-5) and the minimum standards received from Johnson County.  Additionally, the Committee set out the various steps envisioned in the completion of this project:

·         Introduction/Policy Statement

·         Body of Standards and Requirements

·         Definitions Section

·         Appendix Section (Insurance requirements, Rules & Regs, etc.)

·         Review Process (FAA, Public, Stakeholders, etc.)

·         Recommendations to Board

The next Committee meeting will be Monday, April 14th at 7:00 p.m. at the Airport.  At that meeting, the Committee will discuss format and outline the various standards to be developed.  The Committee members have been mailed a copy of the Min/Stand from the Salina Airport.  City staff has requested Min/Stand documents from other airports in the area.  Copies of these will be forward to the Committee for their review.  To date, the City has received material from the Salina Airport and that was mailed to Committee members.  The city staff is ordering notebook binders for each Committee member so we can keep track of the mountains of paperwork that will be collected while working on this project.

 

5.                  Leadership Lawrence Update

Rick Bryant has arranged for Leadership Lawrence participants to be given complementary aircraft rides on Wednesday, April 23.

6.                  Dole Institute Dedication Update

Organizing and planning continue for the Dole Institute dedication July 20-22, which includes the static display at the airport. The attached memo provides a recent snapshot of activities and concerns. The organizers of this event will work through the Debbie. 

7.         Next Board Meeting

The next regular Aviation Advisory Board will meet on May 8, 2003 at 6:30 PM in the Airport Pilot lounge.

8.         Meeting Adjournment

The Meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.

Dole Institute Update

To:     Debbie Van Saun, Airport Manager

From:  Rick Bryant

CC:  Mike Wildgen, Sue Hack, Aviation Advisory Board

Erik Nelson, Bill Howell, Steve Craig, Lloyd Hetrick, Nelson Krueger

Date:  10/18/2007

On Friday, March 28, a meeting was held in the airport terminal conference room to discuss planning activities and responsibilities for the airport’s participation in the July 22 Dole Institute of Politics dedication.

Attending the meeting were:

Erik Nelson, Dole Institute assoc. director

Bill Howell, Aviation Consultant to the Dole Institute

Steve Craig, Aviation expert and airport volunteer

Lloyd Hetrick, FBO – Hetrick Air Services, Inc.

Rick Bryant, chair, aviation advisory board

 

The following is a summary of the discussions:

 

Weekend schedule:

Vintage aircraft owners have been asked to arrive by mid-afternoon Saturday, July 19. After dedication activities conclude on July 22, most of the aircraft will depart.

 

Sunday, July 20: some vintage aircraft owners will be offering rides for fees. City staff will have to research the legality and liability issues associated with this public gathering on the airport property and may require the appropriate liability insurance, or hold harmless waiver from the participating planes and patrons.

 

Monday, July 20: an aerial fly-over of the Dole Institute will begin approximately 10AM from the assembled vintage squadron. Initial plans call for the fly-over to proceed Southwest across 15^th and Iowa, east of the Lied Center and the KANU radio tower. After the group fly-over, each participating plane will be called back individually and announced to the crowd gathered at the Dole Institute/Lied Center.

In addition to the vintage squadron, it is possible that a B-52 bomber, an F-14 jet fighter or the Blue Angels could join the fly-over. Details on their participation are pending.

 

Estimated crowds:

The Dole Institute staff is planning for a large crowd at the airport, i.e. – in excess of 30,000 people during the Sunday-Tuesday display period. These crowds would be directed and limited to the airport’s west side where the vintage display would occur.

 

The Dole Institute is making preliminary plans for the procurement and deployment of approximately 200 self-contained portable restrooms on the west side. Also, Lawrence Bus Company has been hired to provide shuttle bus service to a yet, undetermined site on North Seventh Street for pickup and drop-off.

 

Dole staff is in the early planning stages to provide food/drink vendor tents at the airport for visitors. This will require City staff oversight and action.

 

Security:

Dole staff has conducted initial security reviews with KU Public Safety, Lawrence Police Department, KHP, Douglas Co. Sheriff and Secret Service. Dole staff has been promised use of the Kansas National Guard by the Governor’s office for security assignments also.

 

It was agreed that the airport would receive 24-hour security coverage from the National Guard to protect the vintage aircraft and provide crowd/traffic control on the airport property during business hours.

 

City staff will need to coordinate with Erik Nelson regarding use of the National Guard and discuss logistics of Secret Service protection at the terminal building with the influx of former presidents and current cabinet & congressional leaders arriving/departing from LWC.

 

Dole staff will work with the National Guard to obtain temporary fencing and barricades to assist with crowd and traffic control at the airport.

 

 

Display vs. Operational Areas of Airport:

West side

It was agreed that the west side of the Lawrence Municipal Airport would be used to showcase the vintage WWII aircraft. Dole staff estimated that 20-25 vintage aircraft have been solicited for participation. This partial list of aircraft include: B-17 bomber, P-38 bomber, potential B-25 bomber, P-51 Mustangs, P-40, Spitfire, Steerman aircraft, Wildcats and other undetermined participants. It is possible that other vintage aircraft owners will fly to Lawrence and participate on their own.

 

Dole staff is paying appearance fees to some of the larger aircraft owners, and will handle that payment directly. Additional promotional funds to pay fuel subsidies will be coordinated by Dole staff and Hetrick Air Services, Inc. for that weekend. Hetrick Air Services will be responsible for forecasting fuel volumes and having appropriate inventory levels available during this period.

 

The current staging plan is to ‘park’ these aircraft on the vacant apron and grass areas on the west side of the airport. City staff will need to notify building tenants and T-Hangar tenants on the west side of the intrusion/interruption to their building areas/access that weekend. Of particular importance will be the Life Star air ambulance.

 

Based on participant volumes or wet grounds, a secondary plan to close Runway 1-19 for parking will be implemented as needed. Volunteers will be needed to assist Hetrick Air Services, Inc. as “wing walkers” during the process of parking aircraft.

 

A staging area close to the active taxiway will be required for the safe operation of those vintage aircraft offering rides for fees during the weekend period.

 

Terminal Building:

Due to limited vehicular parking at the Terminal Building, it was discussed and consensus reached that only essential vehicle traffic will be allowed down Airport Road into the terminal area. We can setup a traffic stop using National Guard as security.

 

As the list of special guests continues to grow, we can develop an authorized list of access along with parking permits so guests and VIPS can be picked up at the terminal. Hetrick Air Services, Inc. staff will assist with parking control and access to the apron for special pickups.

 

The Terminal flight apron will continue to serve the airport as an active operations area throughout the Dole dedication period. Security concerns with Secret Service, etc. might dedicate more stringent security measures, but in the best interests of safe and secure operations, it is recommended that limits be placed on public access to the Terminal and flight apron.

 

Controlled Airspace:

It is critical that no aviation activity during this time period be labeled an ‘air show.’ Any ‘show’ designation will require FAA enforcement and mounds of paperwork. These activities are strictly a “vintage aircraft static display” and “aerial fly-over” during dedication ceremonies.

 

However, the Airport Manager will need to contact Kansas City FAA and discuss the parameters of any designated ‘controlled airspace’ involving the airport due to security, or other operational requirements during this period.

 

In the event, the President or high-level cabinet members attend the dedication, FAA will probably close down all air space for a pre-determined radius around the airport and University of Kansas campus. That will ground all aircraft at the airport, as well as preventing aircraft from landing at Lawrence Municipal Airport.

 

This is a high-level action item that requires priority handling and resolution.

 Summary:

In closing it was agreed that the Airport Manager, Aviation Advisory Board, and FBO will be regularly updated as agreements are reached with aircraft owners, dedication fly-over participants, or VIPs requiring special needs/security. It was agreed that Dole staff will not make any commitments that could create liability, safety or operational conflicts for the City of Lawrence, and the Lawrence Municipal Airport, without the express permission of the Airport Manager and the City.

 

While there is legitimate concern over the estimated crowd size and related crowd control issues at the airport during this Dole dedication period, the consensus was this event could be executed in a safe, efficient manner with proper planning and communication between all groups.

 

Contact information is provided below for the meeting participants. It is recommended that another group meeting be conducted in late April or early May to refine operational issues and confirm commitments, develop VIP lists, etc.

 

 

 

 

Contact list:

 

Erik Nelson,    Dole Institute                            749-3911                     elnelson@ku.edu

Bill Howell*,   Dole Aviation Consultant          785-393-3859Cell 

william.s.howell@dfas.mil

                                                                       785-894-3092Home   

skrtime@hotmail.com  home

Steve Craig     Expert Volunteer                      838-3625                     bearcatf8f@aol.com

Lloyd Hetrick  Hetrick Air Services, Inc.          842-0000                     hetricklwc@aol.com

Rick Bryant     Advisory Board                        864-2081W                 bearpress@alltel.net

 

 

* Aviation Point-of-Contact for Dole staff