New Lease Pre-approved For Airport Operator

Fairhope, Alabama


STILL NEEDS FINAL APPROVAL

During a specially-called meeting last week, the Fairhope Airport Authority unanimously passed a Resolution approving a memorandum of understanding that could eventually lead to renewing the current operator's contract (Continental Motors Services Inc.) as the airport's FBO (fixed base operator) for the next 25 years: Their current lease expires in 2015.

(Teledyne Industries originally signed the lease in 1995; in 2011 AVIC International, a Chinese corporation, purchased the company and set up Technify Motors Inc. for its United States operations. Mobile-based Continental Services is still a subsidiary).

It includes "hangars, fuel farms, ramps, aprons, parking space, office space and other facilities owned by the authority."

The memorandum, negotiated by Chairman Zunk and Continental V.P. Rhet Ross, is only a first step to eventually signing a new contract that could become effective on Nov. 1st -- subject to FAA and ALDOT approval.

Chairman Zunk and other members called it a "good deal" for the airport that will raise lease income (to $12,750 per month) and the percentage of revenue the Authority gets from aviation fuel sales (from 4 to 7 cents per gallon).

Continental also agrees to spend $850,000 on capital improvements to the north hangar and adjacent hangar building.

Zunk said some property previously included in the lease would revert back to the airport and that could be used by the Authority to construct additional much-needed hangar space -- perhaps in a joint venture with Continental or some other  private company.

The two new 8 unit 'T-hangars' now operated by the AA itself would come under Continental's control however -- along with their current lease agreements (16 in all). Continental could decide to raise rents.

If a final agreement cannot be concluded, the AA may proceed with a RFP, request for proposals, from other bidders to operate the airport.



AIRPORT NOISE COMPLAINTS GROWING

T - 6 'Texan' (Air Force configuration)

Mayor Kant dropped by the meeting near its end and informed the Authority he has been getting more complaints lately about airplane noise -- particularly in the vicinity of Monk Rd. and on CR 24.

He specifically mentioned a house with a "red roof" on Monk and a" shop" on 24, aka Clarence Bishop Rd.

Kant said one of the main reasons for forming an independent Airport Authority was to take "politics" out of the daily decision-making.

The area around the airport is actually not in the city limits though: the county commission has jurisdiction there; citizens have so-far rejected adopting any form of zoning protection.

The "low-flying" military training and civilian flight-school aircraft are apparently "coming over the tree tops" to practice approaches, take-offs, landings and other maneuvers.

Chairman Zunk said planes should not normally be flying under 1000' (except during takeoff and landings) --  and practice has always be confined within the "south practice area."

Zunk said that since the airport is open to the public, anyone may use it -- as long as standard aviation rules are followed.

Referring to the military planes, he mentioned that the airport has received many grants from the federal government over the years, including one to lengthen its runway; a new one to improve taxiways and drainage for over $1 million was just awarded.

He said the new Navy T-6B trainers have been using local commercial civilian fields more because their older Navy Outlying Field (NOLF) runways were not long enough for the heavier planes (they need at least 5,000').

The Fairhope runway is 6,664' long.

After completing a controversial environmental study and seeking public input -- in 2010 the Navy decided to lengthen its runways at Summerdale and Foley/Elberta (click). The Silverhill field was not included.

Considerable opposition from the many new residential subdivisions (noise pollution concerns), particularly in the Eastern Shore area, was a factor in the decision. Older residents defended the military training as "the sound of freedom."

CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS

According to online satellite photos, the NOLF runways east of Summerdale have been lengthened but the Times could not determine if the Barin Field east of Foley has been yet. Those were to be the only ones lengthened, according to news reports at the time.

Summerdale runway extensions completed

A construction sign at the Summerdale facility says that project would be completed this year: the same company is to modify the Barin field as well, according to online documents..

The home base of the navy Flight Training Wing 5 (Fixed Wing Unit) is Whiting Field, near Milton, Fl.  It eventually expects to be operating about 156 of the new aircraft.

(The new planes have ejection seats, unlike its predecessor, which was notable for accidents in Baldwin County over the years.)

Pilots from all branches of the U.S. military, and from other "allied countries" train there:

Training Air Wing FIVE is located 5 miles north of Milton, Florida on board Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The wing is comprised of three primary fixed-wing and three advanced helicopter squadrons and trains aviators from the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and allied nations. TRAWING FIVE is responsible for an estimated 43 percent of the Chief of Naval Air Training Command's total flight time and over 11 percent of Navy and Marine Corps' flight time world-wide. Over 1,200 personnel complete their essential flight training here annually. We pride ourselves on producing the finest Naval Aviators in the world.

At least one civilian flight school, Zulu flight training, operates from the Fairhope airport, according to its advertising. It is not known if any of their planes are involved in any way.

Zunk advised citizens to get the tail numbers of the low-flying planes -- and report them to the governing authority: the Federal Aviation Administration.