Looks like I'm the newest member of the Wickenburg airport commission

[Rob Silliman]

I think we need a fall picnic / meeting at Wickenburg!   

Do the October 9 fly-in. Lots of experimental/ultralight thingies.

S.C.

Scott - 2nd suggestion (besides invite photog's) - would be to look at other Warbird organizations - like Valle - to see if they can send a plane down.  Might not work this year since it looks like the National CAF show is this same weekend.

[Joe Copalman]

POF ≠ CAF.  There may be several local warbird guys with no museum affiliation around that weekend too - Maniyak, all those CJ-6 guys, the Stearman Flight guys...  Might be worth looking into.

[scottcolbath]

Can I shoot from the Tower Catwa...

Wait, Nevermind...   

Ha! If you read the general plan, it shows just how tiny we are. Nowhere near actually needing/meeting the requirement for a control tower. It seems the next big thing we will strive for are to meet FAA requirements for bigger/faster/wider aircraft, a plane wash thingey, build for the installation of instrument requirement operations and OFA requirements (part of the bigger/faster/wider aircraft thing).

My guess is that without a big grant, we will see none of this any time soon. We were lucky to get the runway extension to 6,100 ft.

And thanks for the warbird suggestions.

S.C.

[scottcolbath]

Went out to the airport today and met the dude in charge. Turns out, I know him from attending the town council meetings. He's a sort of do it all guy in town. We chatted a bit about things. It's going to be a long road to try and make the airport a better place. One thing I learned is that we do not charge three different pilot training schools which do touch and gos all day. To me, that seems like something we should be charging for. If you tie down, you pay. If you're a private jet, you pay to land and take off. I also found out that our AV gas is cheaper than most other airports in the general area (the opposite of what I was told by someone). One would think that would make us a refueling stop on a trip. Also, our local chamber of commerce runs the fly-in, so I don't know what I can do about bringing in more aircraft. I'll just offer up my ideas/suggestions and hope for the best.

A couple pics from today.







S.C.

[Jay Beckman]

"User Fees?"  Quickest way I can think of to utterly kill your airport. 

You'll also become an object of interest from AOPA...

[Jbong]

IF you fix it, they will come. I know that Buckeye doent charge for touch and gos. And they also you dont have to pay to park. But Good Luck to you. I am sure in a couple years it will be a thriving airport.

[scottcolbath]

"User Fees?"  Quickest way I can think of to utterly kill your airport. 

You'll also become an object of interest from AOPA...

We are no Scottsdale, but have you seen their user fees?

http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Assets/Public+Website/airport/RatesandFeesSchedule.pdf

And why will we become an object of interest to the AOPA?

Teach me, oh great Yoda. 

S.C.

[Jay Beckman]

I wasn't referring to fees for parking, tie downs, etc...  Those are and always have been based on what the market will bear.  Scottsdale can bear a lot more than most communities.

I specifically meant fees for takeoffs and landings which no Class C, D or E airport anywhere in the USA charges (and very, very few Class B airports either...)

I've landed at and departed from Scottsdale on several occasions and there has never been a fee associated with doing so.  Stopping for lunch or fuel is not a "transient" status.

If you were to try and impose "operational fees" you would draw AOPA's attention because User Fees are a hot-button item right now.  AOPA is working very, very hard to keep the Feds from imposing such fees (which are common in Europe) on US pilots.  In Europe, you are also billed for using Weather services and Air Traffic Control.

So like I said, if you were to try and impose such fees, pilots will simply avoid your airport like the plague.

You are charging the flight schools rent, yes?

[scottcolbath]

I wasn't referring to fees for parking, tie downs, etc...  Those are and always have been based on what the market will bear.  Scottsdale can bear a lot more than most communities.

I specifically meant fees for takeoffs and landings which no Class C, D or E airport anywhere in the USA charges (and very, very few Class B airports either...)

I've landed at and departed from Scottsdale on several occasions and there has never been a fee associated with doing so.  Stopping for lunch or fuel is not a "transient" status.

If you were to try and impose "operational fees" you would draw AOPA's attention because User Fees are a hot-button item right now.  AOPA is working very, very hard to keep the Feds from imposing such fees (which are common in Europe) on US pilots.  In Europe, you are also billed for using Weather services and Air Traffic Control.

Got it.

So like I said, if you were to try and impose such fees, pilots will simply avoid your airport like the plague.

You are charging the flight schools rent, yes?

No charge for the flight schools, which I thought was a bit odd. The way the schools' planes come and go, it's constant for several hours a day. At the least, the  schools should find a way to return the favor for the free use of the runway, such as buying gas at our airport.

S.C.

[Jay Beckman]

I misunderstood.  I thought you meant the schools were based at Wickenburg.

Wherever they buy it, they pay tax on fuel and those taxes support all airports.

[CJPalmer]

It's been a while since I've flown, but the airport that I have been to did not charge for taking off, landing, or touch and go's. That's not to say that none do. Sky Harbor charges a landing fee, but only for part 135 and 121 operators (those that are flying for hire). Parking and tiedown fees are were only charged for aircraft that stayed overnight. Some FBO's do charge ramp fees as the market will bare (Sky Harbor is reasonable, Las Vegas and San Diego are expensive). Usually they will waive the ramp fee for a certain amount of fuel. Putting a good restaurant on field would get you a lot more traffic.

[scottcolbath]

My first meeting is this Wednesday. Should be interesting.

I've been MIA due to a hip replacement last August. I decided it was a great time to take a vacation from the internet and also recover from having my body mangled and tossed back together. 

S.C.

[scottcolbath]

So, what I learned at my first meeting.

We want as much money as we can get in federal grants, and we want to spend it all.

Classic government. 

S.C.

[Jay Beckman]

So, what I learned at my first meeting.

We want as much money as we can get in federal grants, and we want to spend it all.

Classic government. 

S.C.

Yes...  Yes you do...  Aviation is fairly self funding with the bulk of the FAAs budget coming from fuel taxes.  More flying --> More gas burned/sold --> More taxes collected --> More money for better airports --> Happier pilots --> More flying...

Rinse .. Repeat!   

[scottcolbath]

Job 1: Airport Open House!
Job 2: Invite Aviation Photographers to Airport Open House!

A reminder for you guys, the fly-in is October 9th and starts at 7:30 A.M.

I will be there from about 6:00 to noon, then I have to blast up to Prescott to shoot some AMA dirt track racing.

S.C.