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Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

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Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:18 pm

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

LT... you don't happen to be Mr. Plow, do you?
---------------------------------------------
Yeah, that could be me! I like his moves... :mrgreen:
I am in Georgia where it never snows. I have never even SEEN a snow plow.
LT4247 offline
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"I say that big talk is worth doodly squat!"
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Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:42 pm

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

Maintenance is generally the responsibility of the owner- not the Fed-earle Gummint. They already blew suitcases of cash in your general direction to provide the pavement in the first place. Perhaps you could offer to plow on days YOU wanna fly when it's HIS day off. There are a few highly appreciated folks at my pavement that do this...and I have a gift card to the steakhouse pinned up in my hangar for the next time I see one of them.

Sounds cranky to me, to be honest. If it's the guy's day off, it seems like it might be safe to assume *ITS THE GUY'S DAY OFF!!!*

This one gets filed under "first world problems" for sure.
http://www.reddit.com/r/firstworldproblems/
lesuther offline
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Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:11 pm

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

But... Isn't a public funded airport kinda like a public funded highway?

"Sorry folks, but I-80 is gonna be closed this weekend because the snowplow drivers only work Monday through Friday."

Especially an airport utilized by air ambulance flights.

Gump
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Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:15 pm

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

GumpAir wrote:But... Isn't a public funded airport kinda like a public funded highway?

"Sorry folks, but I-80 is gonna be closed this weekend because the snowplow drivers only work Monday through Friday."

Especially an airport utilized by air ambulance flights.

Gump


Tim...... Take notes! No flying over I-80 on the weekends when it's snowing :D Oh wait, I don't think (or hope you won't) be flying in a snow storm :D
58Skylane offline
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Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:57 pm

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

Several have asked if it would be possible to use the city owned snow plow, mowers, and various other airport equipment to help (for free, because we to) and it was made clear that due to liability that could never happen. You are welcome to plow the area imediatly around your hangar, if your own snow plow, but no anywhere else.

It is not like he has much to do on his work days with the weather like it is. If I was him I think I would take a flex time sort of approach to when I worked.
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Mon Jan 23, 2012 6:18 am

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

DavidB. wrote:His unwillingness to plow is the tip of the issues at the airport right now. The airport has it's own large dumptruck with a plow, and a 4x4 Chevy with a plow.
The airport "manager" lives rent free, plus salary, plus benifits and a maid that cleans his house and the pilots lounge. He also drives a city vehicle using city fuel as his everyday transportation.

D.


Look up his salary and post it here..... If it is adequate I will move there and take the job... :^o =P~ .

My bet he is milking the system to the max and wants to stay till the lavish state pension plan kicks in.. :roll:

Bottom line is if it snowed 4 inches on his day off then there would be 4 inches of snow to deal with.... if it snowed feet while he was "ON Duty" and there was NO Plowing then he clearly is sleeping on the clock and needs to go. :evil: :evil:

What part of scamming the taxpayers do the locals not understand?

Ben.
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Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:15 am

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

GumpAir wrote:But... Isn't a public funded airport kinda like a public funded highway?

Nope, it isn't.

The FAA probably already funded the airport to the tune of 95% of the infrastructure improvements- ya know- the pavement, paint, fences, taxiways, lighting, navaids, beacon, etc., with buckets of cash. You should be seeing gummint dollars raining down on your windshield like snow whenever you pass even a small airport. Counties, municipalities, and federal grant programs make up the bulk of the funding for ongoing operations. If you want more services, try looking your fellow airport users in the eyes and ask them to pay more for your needs.
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Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:41 am

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

I may be wrong here, but even though the government isn't still funding the ongoing operations, if the airport ever took federal money, the operator of the airport has certain obligations...keeping it open in a timely manner being one of them I would think. If a guys day off is the issue, then maybe they need to have an approved backup guy to cover him on his days off. I'm sure that there is another city employee that could fill in.

You might want to contact your Airport Support Network rep as well...another angle to bring up the issue. I'd also get a hold of your state aviation division. Good luck!
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Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:31 pm

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

DavidB. wrote:His unwillingness to plow is the tip of the issues at the airport right now. The airport has it's own large dumptruck with a plow, and a 4x4 Chevy with a plow.
The airport "manager" lives rent free, plus salary, plus benifits and a maid that cleans his house and the pilots lounge. He also drives a city vehicle using city fuel as his everyday transportation.

I will complain. Yesterday was the first day in several weeks I was able to fly. Today we have another 4 inches still snowing, plus zero visability. I am now not even legally current to carry a passenger until I do three touch and goes. Hopefully I will be able to do some pattern work this week and take care of that.

The city has big plans to "improve" the airport. The are under the delusion that if they extend the runway to 4500 feet and put up a 10 foot fence, plus tear down all the 1950's hangars made from steel and old growth beams, that they will be able to attract more corporate jet and maybe a commercial operator. This seems unlikely because there is no way we could ever have an ILS. If you look at S10 on Google Earth, or fly into it sometime you will understand why an ILS wont ever happen there.
So with all these big plans, why not start with taking care of what we already have?

Another cut back the manager decided to make is not heating the pilots lounge. Our county has the cheapest power in the USA. I heat a 40X60 hanger with crap for insulation and a door you can see light through to 65 degrees in 10 degree weather for about $80 a month using two ceiling mounted 220 volt heaters. I really can't believe the pilots lounge could cost more than $25 bucks a month to keep at 65. We have an IFR ground school twice a week from 6 to 9. Last time it was 38 in there and we all had to wear our parkas. I would be ok with paying a little more for my lease (owned hangar, leased land) if I was gauranteed a few simple convieniences. I am sure the other pilots would too.

I really do not like to tattle on someone, but this is BS and I feel I have to speak up. I also think others may be affraid to speak up due to a personal trajedy the guy suffered last year when his 20 something kid borrowed his .45 and shot his roommate to death over playing an Ipod while he was watching TV. Maybe I am just a bitter hard ass, but I don't cut slack to people for stupid.

D.


First thing I'd do is start working on getting yourself appointed to the Airport Board/Commission. You can have a lot more influence from inside than from outside.

I'd certainly let someone in both the County and the City know that having an unplowed runway that is NOT notam'd is a HUGE liability for the airport operators. Your comment about the possibility of a medevac is salient, and should be pointed out.

It does sound like one of two things is taking place: Either the airport owner has given the airport manager an impossibly small operating budget, OR the airport manager thinks he can curry favor with the "boss" by keeping expenses super low.

Either way, the airport owner/s need to understand that as others have pointed out, the FAA has expended HUGE money to build/maintain that airport, and one of the things the airport operator did to get that money was to promise the FAA that they'd keep it in useable form.

I'd go after this as politely and professionally as possible, but as I noted, you can do a lot more if you're ON the commission than if you're an outsider. First thing you should do is find out who the Commissioners are, and find out when the next scheduled meeting is. It might not hurt to make an appointment to discuss the issue with a couple of them, professionally, in advance, just to get them up to speed. A short sight seeing flight may be in order.

Let's see, we're taking one or more of the Commissioners or say the City Manager for a plane ride, but....DANG!! The runway isn't plowed!!

Etc.
'
MTV
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Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:49 pm

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

DavidB. wrote:His unwillingness to plow is the tip of the issues at the airport right now. The airport has it's own large dumptruck with a plow, and a 4x4 Chevy with a plow.
The airport "manager" lives rent free, plus salary, plus benifits and a maid that cleans his house and the pilots lounge. He also drives a city vehicle using city fuel as his everyday transportation.



D.


If the airport manager has all those perks, living on the airport property and drives a city owned vehicle plus gas paid for by the tax payers, I pretty much consider him a full time, on call employee of the airport and should be ready for action at a moments notice to keep the runway clear (plowed after snow storms) and safe at all times. If he's getting all them perks, sounds like the city isn't hurting too bad for money.

I also checked Flightaware.com for your airport. You do get a couple of PC12's in and out of there occasionally (just by what's listed publicly). I'm sure there's other aircraft like that come in that's not listed on Flightaware.com.

Curious to see what the outcome will be. Keep us posted. Heck, with those benefits, sign me up. I'll come over and be the new airport manager.
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Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:06 am

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

I'm just happy if we can keep our little airpark from closing. :( The community wants the airpark but a few politicians want to close it to plant trees so developers can develope else where. 588 acres of wooded forest and 40 acres open space for a small airstrip and to feed the deer. I love gree space but this is for offset mitigation to allow developers to develope some where else in the county and replant the trees they destroy in other development. Please visit essexskyparkassn .org for more information and please sign the petition.

While you are on the web site, look at the photos. This is one of the prettiest little airfields on the Chesapeake Bay :D and has been there since the 40's but people have been flying out of there since the 1930's. 8)

Thanks guys/gals
Tom
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Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:52 am

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

TomKatz wrote:I'm just happy if we can keep our little airpark from closing. :( The community wants the airpark but a few politicians want to close it to plant trees so developers can develope else where. 588 acres of wooded forest and 40 acres open space for a small airstrip and to feed the deer. I love gree space but this is for offset mitigation to allow developers to develope some where else in the county and replant the trees they destroy in other development. Please visit essexskyparkassn .org for more information and please sign the petition.

While you are on the web site, look at the photos. This is one of the prettiest little airfields on the Chesapeake Bay :D and has been there since the 40's but people have been flying out of there since the 1930's. 8)

Thanks guys/gals
Tom


Tom, I signed the petition and left a comment for your beautiful airport. I hope to make it down as soon as it warms up a bit.

Rod
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Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:41 pm

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

By Bet Prop
tues jan23
Your air potr manager just come down from Ak. Sounds like one we had at PAN, Same problems almost detroyed our flyin camp ground before we sent down the road. Get apponted to the airport board or what ever and make you voice heard!!!
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Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:33 pm

Re: Am I expecting too much from my home airport?

[quote]Tom, I signed the petition and left a comment for your beautiful airport. I hope to make it down as soon as it warms up a bit.[/quote

Rod,
Thank you, every voice is a help. I spent the day at the state capitol lobbying to save the airfield.

I would love to see you and your brother again. The last time was most memorable. I will never look at the stars in the same old way! Give your wife my best.

Claudius and his son are doing all the videos on the web page. He fly Harrison Ford for 2.5 hrs this past Oskosh, it would be great if we could get his support as well.

Take care,
Tom
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