Airport Manager Rob Berg expects at least one portion of the taxiway, in background, to be rebuilt before the air show in August.

Holly M. Gill

ByHolly

In just over five years, a series of improvements at the Madras Municipal Airport have brought the airport into the 21st century.

An attractive general aviation building and a massive new hangar, which houses Butler Aircraft Co., have transformed the World War II airport into a shining example of a modern small airport.

But the changes haven't stopped there. From now until mid-October, a $1.7 million project, funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation's Connect Oregon III program, will include the resurfacing of ramps, the addition of lights and updated technology.

Jack Robinson and Sons Inc., of Bend, which won the bid for the project, is working on the first of five phases.

During the first phase, about 70 percent of the ramp -- on the side of the runway -- will be rebuilt for an aircraft operations area, according to Rob Berg, airport manager.

"The surface was completely old and deteriorated," he said, noting that it had become totally useless for aircraft because of the potential of "foreign object damage" to aircraft propellers and jet engines.

In order to maintain operations at the airport, the contractor is rebuilding the ramp in phases, with the first portion in front and to south of the general aviation building.

"The goal is to have this all in and paved before the air show, Aug. 26 and 27," he said, "so we can bring the public in." Striping will be completed later.

The excavation work is a little deeper than expected, because the contractor found standing water on the hardpan surrounding two large concrete pads, which date back to World War II, according to Berg. A total of five of the pads were used as parking spaces for B-17s.

"A couple will have to be resurfaced, but they're definitely worth saving," he said.

After the air show, there will be two more ramp projects, north of the current work, all scheduled to be completed by Oct. 10.

A Federal Aviation Administration automated weather observation system will be installed during the second phase.

"What this does is give automated weather to all pilots in the area over radio frequency," Berg explained. "It will also be tied in to the telephone system, so that pilots can call ahead."

Under the current system, pilots must use the Redmond system and shoot the approach to Redmond before turning around and flying to Madras. "As anyone in Central Oregon knows, Redmond and Madras weather can be totally different," he said.

"The biggest advantage to this is that air charter traffic will now be able to file for Madras as a primary destination, instead of having to file for Redmond," Berg said.

"A lot of these companies just land (in Redmond) and then drive here, instead of flying here, where they want to do business," he said. "We want them staying in Madras hotels and eating in Madras restaurants."

The third phase will see the installation of the REIL system -- runway end identifier lights -- donated by the FAA from the Bend airport, which got a new system two years ago.

The high-intensity light system marks the end of the runway with high-intensity strobe lights, allowing aircraft to use an instrument approach in bad weather.

In the fourth phase, blue taxiway lights will be installed all the way into the parking area.

"We have more and more arriving at night, especially with training flights," said Berg, noting that reflectors currently guide pilots. "It's a nightly thing now."

"The new system, to be energy efficient is pilot controlled," he said. "They activate it from their radio in the aircraft and it stays on for 15 minutes, which gives them plenty of time to get in and park, and then the lights turn themselves off."

The system was designed to allow an upgrade to energy-efficient LED lights when they become available. "Everybody wants to be as green as possible," he said.

A ramp lighting project -- the fifth and final phase -- will make it easier for air ambulances and other aircraft to land at night.

"In winter it's dark so early," Berg said, "if you have a lifeflight out of here, we're using car lights to make sure no one runs into an airplane or propeller. The new ramp lighting will illuminate the aircraft operations area for improved safety."

A weatherization project, completed last fall with a $106,542 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant, provided new windows, doors and insulation for the south hangar, where Berg operates his business, Berg Air. As a result, he has realized over 30 percent savings in utility costs.

"All of these projects -- the new general aviation building, the large aircraft maintenance facility, the Airport Way renovations, and then the weatherization project, and now this five-phased project -- all of these projects basically take us 20 years into the future to make this a modern, very usable airport for general aviation and business traffic," said Berg.

All that change hasn't gone unnotice among the aviation community.

"We get daily comments, over the phone, through our website," he said. "People can't believe the beautiful facility."

As an example of the positive impact of the changes, Berg said that two men from California had just flown in for the third year in a row, flying their biplanes to Oshkosh, Wis.

"Even though it's out of their way, they always plan on Madras for their stop since it's such a nice modern facility," he said, adding that the impact spills over to the community. "They went into town for their lunch, fueled their airplanes, and then headed on their way."

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