Classes Begin At New Airport School

Fairhope, Alabama

AIRPORT AUTHORITY MEETS
Temporary classrooms

At the September Airport Authority meeting, it was announced that some vocational classes have finally begun at the city's Sonny Callahan Airport -- in two trailers set up in the main hangar's parking lot.

The unusually rainy and cold weather over the past year delayed construction of the new $2.1 million building nearby, so that it was not ready in time for the Fall term..

According to Airport Authority member Charlie Bassett, only general welding and hydraulics classes are being held in the trailers: aviation specialties are at another campus in Robertsdale.

He said he thought "all of the classes are pretty full."

    NEW BUILDING NEARING COMPLETION

The new building is expected be open for the Winter term.

The Academy is a partnership by the Baldwin County School System, Faulker and Enterprise State Colleges, and the Fairhope Airport Authority -- and will provide three areas of instruction according to their  brochure (see below):

* Aviation:  Avionics technicians, aircraft mechanics jobs. Median pay $26.55/hr
* Industrial Maintenance: Millwrights, mechanics. $22.04/hr
* Welding: Cutters, solderers, brazers. $17.45/hr.

(statistics from u.s. dept. of labor used in brochures provided by the new school -- see below)

Dual enrollment of current high school students to be arranged through school counselors.  (See the brochure below for further information)


Fairhope Airport Academy (Sept. 21, 2014) 




AIRPORT LAND SALE OK'D

The Board also voted unanimously to proceed with the sale of 9.5 acres of west-side airport property to Fairhope-based Hy Grade Valve Inc.  -- to expand their business on S. Greeno Rd.

Chairman Chuck Zunk called it "a good deal for the airport."

Fairhope attorney Dick Lacey represented the company.

The agreed-upon purchase price of $260,000 will be used for airport debt reduction; but the agreement must be approved by the bank first, according to Chairman Zunk.

Dick Lacey
Hy Grade Valve, founded in 1984,  was described as a family business: Victor Teumer is its President.
It currently has 6 - 8 employees: expected to increase with the expansion.

The company builds "precision engineered" check valves that can withstand very high pressures, according to their website.




OTHER AIRPORT MATTERS

* Planned to present a proposal to the city's Planning Commission to sell more airport land to be used as a "wetland mitigation bank."

* Heard that drainage and other runway/taxiway improvements on the east side using a $1 million FAA grant should begin in 60 days.

*Heard that Howard Hadley had resigned from the Authority for personal reasons. The mayor must nominate a replacement, and the city council approve it.



MORE AVIATION ACADEMY COURSE INFORMATION:




Comments

Anonymous said…
A "hanger" is something you hang clothes or pictures on; a "hangar" is what you find at an airport.
Anonymous said…
Ha! Hanger...oh the irony! See what I did there? Ya'll can stuff that Bureau Of Lies statistic about $26hr "aviation" jobs. No one without a great deal of experience AND education is making that median income around here. That's why these companies are moving to this area, cheap taxes and cheap labor. They take a look around to see what the average wage is and adjust accordingly, and guess what, it's nowhere near $26hr. The high wage jobs go to guys who come in from out of state or from another country. So, please, don't lure these kids with figures that don't add up. Trades are great, as long as the child is being taught to THINK in the process of learning said trade, and also taught the still relevant value of higher education so that they can have upward mobility and compete against the outsiders for the high wage jobs. I have a great deal of trade experience in the aviation industry and elsewhere AND a college degree, both of which I use everyday...
Anonymous said…
Article is pretty current, though. The picture is dated Nov. 21, 2014!
Anonymous said…
It's too bad we're selling off city property over there to compensate for the airport debt. There's nice potential for public space. I guess it's more important to publicly subsidize a landing strip for locals that are wealthy enough to fly and own air planes.
Publisher said…
Thank you for the input.
Publisher said…
The figures are from a brochure being distributed by the colleges involved.
Publisher said…
The property being sold is owned by the Airport Authority, not the city. The city does pay the interest on the Authority's debt though, about $390,000 a year.
Anonymous said…
GET READY FOR AIRPLANE TRAFFIC, it will decline property value , no one wants real estate near an airport.... Location , location , location. Summer lake , Fairfield, is in direct line of landing strip. Some of the houses in Summer Lake are nice houses
Anonymous said…
your neighbor's leaf blower makes more noise ....
Anonymous said…
The City no longer operates the airport, but they still bankroll it right? If the city is paying for the airport, that pretty much constitutes ownership does it not? If the city is funding the authority, the land is paid for with city tax money, correct? I'm not trying to be flippant, but that's the way I understand it. It seems like only a matter of semantics or a legal shell game to me.

On another note, I've lived and worked around the airport. The small engine planes that use it are barely noticeable. The potential for additional traffic doesn't worry me. If you buy a house near an airport, you should be prepared to hear or see the occasional plane. Same goes for rail, interstate, downtown commercial zone, etc.
Anonymous said…
No matter what city or town, no one wants a home near an airport . You can candy coat it all you want but it is statistics. I have seen and heard bigger planes go through there , but this is pointless to argue ,it is an AIRPORT. (not a leaf blower) Fairfield is not a nice neighborhood in my opinion but Summer Lake is . I just feel bad for them
Anonymous said…
THAT IS THE POINT to above comment about you should expect noise if you BUY a house near an airport. I am talking resale, people take all of that in consideration and CHOOSE to BUY ELSEWHERE.
Anonymous said…
If you move be sure you do not locate next to a busy road , hear the trucks zooming by day and nigth time. Of course we have to put up with garbage pickup at 4AM in our place.