Thomas Tupling hopes to prevent the closure of Mansfield Airport (8W3) in north central Washington state by rallying the support of others.

“I was born and raised in Mansfield and the airport has always been there,” Tupling said. “Once something is gone, it’s never coming back as Mansfield learned with the railroad.

• READ MORE: Getting Spring Creek Airpark Back on the Charts

The sounds of the airplanes buzzing around the town of Mansfield is a sound probably as prominent as the sounds of Celilo Falls, and one day it was just quiet. The sounds were never heard again. I was in my yard last weekend, and I could hear the planes buzzing around. I thought that could be the last of the airplanes in Mansfield.”

Like many other airports across the country, low or dwindling aircraft operations are a factor in being on the chopping block. The Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority (CDRPA), the airport’s owner and operator, is considering its future.

This is not the first time the CDRPA has conducted this exercise. In fall 2022 it was reported that the future of the airport was in question.

Jim Kuntz, CEO of the CDRPA, provided Virtower data from July 15, 2022, through July 31, 2024. On average there have been shy of 10 total operations (takeoffs and landings) each month. April 2023 was the busiest month during the noted observation time frame, tallying 32 operations.

Despite historically low operations, Tupling feels that the airport’s closure would have a negative impact on his community. There are a handful of things to do in Mansfield that would entice pilots to visit.

• READ MORE: Ottawa Executive Airport Sets Sights on Future Growth

“Mansfield is a small community of around 314 residents,” he said. “We have no crime and it’s sunny here all year-round. So, it’s beautiful to fly around here and visit. Growing up, I remember people flying here just to eat lunch downtown, which is only a short walk from the airport. People would fly in from Oregon, Idaho, and elsewhere to fly fish at Grimes Lake, where there are landlocked salmon, or other lakes and rivers nearby. There were also airplane poker runs that would visit the airport here, when I was a kid.”

If the airport continues to operate, there are some capital improvements that would be needed to be completed in the near future.

“A final decision on Mansfield Airport has not been made by the [CDRPA],” Kuntz said. “The challenge remains the lack of airplane activity. The policy question is should taxpayers’ funds continue to subsidize the airport with very little use. Should taxpayers invest a large sum of capital dollars to undertake needed capital projects at the airport, such as repaving [the runway]?”

There are no hangars at the airport, and if there were some, it’s possible traffic could increase. Tupling has formally explored this theory, polling local pilots to understand their desire to keep their aircraft at Mansfield Airport.

• READ MORE: Flying to the Finger Lakes

“I have reached out to a lot of agencies and private pilots,” Tupling said. “It’s another bureaucratic situation of the chicken or the egg. The flights are done substantially, but the airport is currently in bad condition from the lack of maintenance and upkeep. The [CDRPA] has a different goal than the taxpayers of the upper plateau, but I do understand they have a budget to protect as well. The port has verbally stated if the airport is closed, they would work with the taxpayers to utilize the land in the most productive way supported by a feasibility study.”

There are nine leased sites allocated on airport land, which may be an attractive option for pilots to build their own hangars.  

The Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority expects to have a decision related to the airport’s future by the end of the year. For Tupling and others interested in the runway’s continued existence, the hope is that the next headline is not “Mansfield Airport Closes.”

The post One Man’s Rally to Keep an Airstrip Alive appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Reuters, the audit will evaluate each airport’s risks, identify potential issues with procedures and equipment, and make recommendations to improve safety. FAA’s Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service is conducting the review and expects to complete it by early 2025.

The agency’s study is partly in response to recommendations made in November 2023 by an independent aviation review team, which called for urgent actions to enhance safety after several close calls involving passenger jets.

As recently as September, a controller cleared a Southwest Airlines plane to cross a runway just seconds before another controller cleared an Alaska Airlines jet to take off. The Alaska aircraft was forced to abort its takeoff to prevent a collision from occurring, narrowly averting disaster.

These incidents have raised concerns among aviation stakeholders and agencies like the National Transportation Safety Board, which is currently investigating multiple close calls. Meanwhile, the FAA says it is in the process of implementing new surface-awareness technologies at airports around the country to further enhance safety and mitigate incursion incidents.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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According to The FAA National Airspace System status webpage, 11 airports remained closed to commercial traffic Thursday, with most requiring prior permission (PPR) for emergency and relief aircraft.

Airport maintenance crews throughout the Sunshine State inspected facilities for damage, as did the FAA.

• READ MORE: Here’s How the FAA Prepares Year-Round for Hurricanes 

Tampa International Airport (KTPA) remained closed midday Thursday, but said it would soon announce its plans to resume flights? “The TPA team is hard at work assessing and cleaning up the damage left in Hurricane Milton’s wake. We remain closed at this time and are working toward sharing reopening plans later today,” it said.

CLEANUP UNDERWAY: The TPA team is hard at work assessing and cleaning up the damage left in Hurricane Milton’s wake. We remain closed at this time and are working toward sharing reopening plans later today. Stay tuned to our social media for the latest updates. pic.twitter.com/A8KSk25NyS

— Tampa International Airport (@FlyTPA) October 10, 2024

Daytona Beach International Airport, which closed to commercial flights Wednesday morning, said its reopening on Friday would be determined after post-storm inspections. 

At least one Florida airport reported damage. Melbourne Orlando International Airport (KMLB) lost a 30-by-40-foot section of roof and part of a skylight in its center terminal, USA Today reported. The airport was closed at the time and no injuries were reported.

• READ MORE: ‘Hurricane Hunters’ Fly Into the Eye of Hurricane Milton

According to the National Hurricane Center, the remnants of Milton continued to pose a risk as the storm moved offshore. “A storm surge warning remains in effect for portions of the east coast of Florida and southern coast of Georgia,” as the risk of “considerable urban flooding” lingered across the east central portion of the state, it said at 11 a.m. EST. 

The post Florida Airports Assess Hurricane Milton Damage appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Major airports throughout the state have halted operations completely, including Tampa International Airport (KTPA), which shut down on Tuesday morning. Orlando International Airport (KMCO) remains open but has paused all commercial operations.

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ) also closed on Tuesday afternoon.

‘Batten Down the Hatches’

Tampa is among the cities set to be hit the hardest by Milton. The city’s main airport—Florida’s fourth busiest—shut down early to prepare facilities for the storm. John Tiliacos, the airport’s executive vice president of airport operations, said this process takes up to 24 hours.

“Our team has been planning and executing all of the preparation that we need to take for Hurricane Milton’s arrival,” Tiliacos said during a press conference.

In a Facebook post, the airport said its team has been working around the clock to “batten down the hatches.” The airport has 58 jet bridges, each of which needs to be chained down, which can take around an hour each to complete.

Aircraft and other airfield equipment also need to be secured in advance of the storm.

“Tampa International Airport is extremely close to Tampa Bay and storm surge and flooding are a top concern for us.…If you consider that we may potentially face 10 to 15 feet of storm surge, we are talking about a lot of water that will find its way onto the airport,” Tiliacos said.

The airport said it will reopen after a damage assessment is conducted.

Roughly 85 miles away, Orlando International Airport says it is also preparing for the storm, securing jet bridges and sand-bagging doors.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post How Airports Are Preparing for Hurricane Milton appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to the agency, the Joint Crisis Action Team at the FAA Command Center oversees and coordinates planning before a storm hits as well during the aftermath and cleanup.

• READ MORE: Hurricane Milton Triggers Florida Airport Closures

The responsibility includes helping prioritize activities in the affected airspace and getting the needed resources to the areas hit hardest.

This was demonstrated recently following Hurricane Helene, when roads and bridges were damaged and left impassable by debris, leaving air travel as the only option to get needed emergency help to devastated areas in parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

When it becomes likely that a storm will strike FAA facilities, the agency covers equipment inside buildings to protect it in the event the roof or windows leak or are torn away. Airport surveillance radar antennas are also disabled to allow them to spin freely to minimize storm damage to the internal motors.

• READ MORE: ‘Hurricane Hunters’ Fly Into the Eye of Hurricane Milton

The agency said that long-range traffic radars and FAA control towers built in prone areas are designed to sustain hurricane-force winds. When the winds reach this level, controllers are evacuated from the tower to a shelter in a lower level of the building. The agency said they stay on duty and return to the tower as soon as a storm passes and it is determined safe to do so.

The FAA has backup generators and fuel for them standing by in case they are needed in the event of commercial power outages. These generators are tested prior to a storm arrival. In addition, the agency has teams of technicians staged just outside the eye of the storm and ready to make necessary repairs to get services restored as soon as possible.

• READ MORE: Military Evacuates Aircraft Ahead of Hurricane Milton Landfall

After a storm has passed, the FAA Command Center works with both federal and state authorities to facilitate relief efforts and coordinate temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and Notice to Air Missions (NOTAMs) to keep pilots apprised of the situation.

The post Here’s How the FAA Prepares Year-Round for Hurricanes appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The project, which already broke ground in June 2023, aims to increase flight capacity and reduce delays at the world’s seventh-busiest airport. The airport anticipates construction of the $1 billion project to be completed by fall 2027.

“The FAA and the Biden-Harris administration are pleased to assist CLT in ensuring the safest and most stress-free experience for travelers possible,” said FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Shannetta Griffin, in a news release. “The fourth runway project delivers on both goals—not only for travelers in and out of Charlotte, but for those visiting one of the nearly 200 cities with routes from CLT.”

In addition to the new runway, the grant will fund the completion of north and south end-around taxiways and other airfield improvements to enhance safety and increase capacity, the agency said.

Positioned west of Runway 18C/36C, the new runway will be roughly 10,000 feet long and is expected to significantly improve capacity at the airport.

“We are thrilled to receive this notable investment from the FAA,” said Charlotte airport CEO Haley Gentry in the release. “The funding will enable the airport to continue progress on this crucial and nationally significant infrastructure project, boosting capacity and operational efficiency.”

Charlotte is American Airlines’ second-largest hub with approximately 700 flights per day. In 2023, the airline said it was eyeing plans for up to 800 daily flights with the new runway.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post FAA Invests $290M in Long-Awaited New Runway in Charlotte appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

But headquartered in the same region is Oshkosh Corp., which—among other functions—is a major player in fire truck manufacturing. The firm also specializes in aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) equipment with its line of specialized trucks.

Oshkosh Corp. has carved a niche in the firefighting industry with its line of airport fire trucks. These specialized vehicles are designed to handle the unique challenges posed by aviation accidents, offering a level of capability that sets them apart.

Among these are water tanks that are significantly larger than those of traditional municipal fire trucks, ensuring that firefighters have ample water to combat large-scale fires without needing frequent refills. The fire trucks boast powerful pumps capable of delivering high-pressure water streams, essential for penetrating the outer skin of aircraft and reaching internal fires. Many of these vehicles are also outfitted with advanced foam systems that can create a blanket over fires, helping to suppress flames and reduce the spread of smoke.

The company’s Striker 8×8 model can hold up to 4,500 gallons of water and 630 gallons of foam at a time. In comparison, a normal municipal fire truck can hold around 1,500 gallons of water alone.

In addition to their water capacity and firefighting capabilities, these vehicles are designed to handle various terrain, including runways, taxiways, and grassy areas. Some of Oshkosh’s Striker models can go from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 35 seconds.

Over 5,000 Oshkosh Striker vehicles have been made and shipped to airports around the globe. The company is also rolling out an electric fire truck called Volterra, which has already been adopted by some airports.

AirlineGeeks had the opportunity to visit Oshkosh’s manufacturing facility in its namesake city. A video from the tour is below:

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post Why Airport Fire Trucks Are So Unique appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Nearly 11,000 Stearmans were built, but only around 1,000 are still flying. Earlier this week, a handful of these biplanes descended on Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for a special mission.

Founded in 2011, a charity called Dream Flights provides veterans with the “adventure of a lifetime” flying in a Stearman biplane. The nonprofit organization conducts these flights all around the U.S. free of charge.

• READ MORE: Two Legendary Ace World War II Pilots Return to the Skies

The group’s visit to DFW was even more special, flying its 7,000th participant in 99-year-old WWII veteran Carlyle Hayes, who joined three other senior veterans.

“I’ve never ridden in an open cockpit aircraft, so this will be [the] first time,” U.S. Air Force veteran Jerry Brown told KTVT-TV.

The flights lasted around half an hour, arriving and departing from DFW, which is the world’s third-busiest airport. Both American Airlines and the Allied Pilots Association (APA) sponsored the event.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

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With plans to pursue Part 139 certification from the FAA, city officials are laying the groundwork for scheduled passenger service and increased corporate activity. This ambitious vision aims to position Greeley as a key gateway to the Front Range.

AirlineGeeks had the opportunity to interview Paul Trombino, the current director of public works for the city of Greeley, to help understand his vision and the city’s ambitions for the airport. Trombino assumed the role of director in June 2021 and has now added the airport to his list of areas where the city has significant growth potential.

Greeley-Weld County Airport

Greeley-Weld County Airport was built in 1944 as a small regional airport. In the late 1940s, it saw small commercial service operations, with Challenger Airlines serving Greeley as a stop between Billings, Montana (KBIL), and Denver along with Salt Lake City (KSLC) and Denver. Ultimately, service ended, and the airport has since become a general aviation airport with around 120,000 operations annually.

In 1996, the airport underwent its most comprehensive expansion since opening in partnership with the FAA. It constructed a new 10,000-foot runway and taxiway system, along with a terminal, administration building, and landside infrastructure improvements to improve accessibility to the airport. Trombino highlighted how this significant investment was a sign of a strong “growth plan since 1996” and added how “[the city] has always seen potential in the airport” with the foundation already being set.

The airport is uniquely positioned because it already has a 10,000-foot runway. According to GlobalAir.com, the only public airports in Colorado with 10,000-foot plus runways are Colorado Springs (KCOS), Centennial (KAPA), Denver, Grand Junction (KGJT), Greeley, Hayden (KHDN), Montrose (KMTJ), and Pueblo (KPUB).

But what sets Greeley apart from this short list of airports?

Other than Centennial, which serves as a reliever airport for Denver International (KDEN), all other airports already see commercial service, making Greeley an attractive airport for future service additions. In fact, according to the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, Greeley is currently the only public airport with a 10,000-foot runway in Colorado that is classified as a GA facility.

Development Plans

As mentioned, Greeley has a unique 10,000-foot runway, but what else can the airport offer for the Front Range? For one, the airport is already profitable as a GA airport serving the community.

“Rural airports typically operate in the red, but Greeley is in the black, which is unique,” Trombino said.

The airport is projecting significant growth in the next 10 and 20 years, with revenue jumping from $125 million in 2023 to $360 million by 2033 and nearly $700 million by 2043.

Trombino is adamant that he “wants the current businesses to [stay] successful,” as bringing more operations to the airport “will bring more customers, from maintenance to fuel,” even with the city’s growth plans.

Its operational outlook aligns with this vision, with projections showing growth from 120,000 operations in 2023 to 300,000 by 2033 and 600,000 by 2043.

Another major player spurring this growth is JBS USA Foods, a major meat processing company headquartered in Greeley. The company currently operates its corporate jets out of Fort Collins but is looking to move to Greeley.

JBS is looking to move to Greeley by March 2026 and needs a new hangar and taxiway built for its needs. It also needs the runway to be developed to increase weight limits from the current 45,000 pounds to a minimum of 65,000 pounds, or even 100,000 pounds. Trombino sees this opportunity as “phenomenal for setting us up for success” and believes it will be an excellent platform for the city to present to the FAA as a necessity for an increase in runway weight.

Trombino stated that the FAA “envisions Greeley as one of the main airports in Colorado, alongside Denver and Colorado Springs.”

Furthermore, the airport does not face the same constraints as similar regional airports. Many airports near the Denver metro area suffer from environmental, capacity, and space limitations, but Trombino believes that Greeley’s location is insulated from such issues.

“[The city views] the space in and around the airport [like] a blank canvas,” he said. “The other airports don’t have the length that we do, and more importantly, they all have housing around them, which causes constraints that we don’t face.”

When specifically asked about similar competitor airports like Northern Colorado Regional (KFNL) in Loveland and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan (KBJC) in Broomfield, Trombino said that they “have capacity challenges,” and don’t necessarily have the “capacity to expand.”

The city also believes there is no better time than now to invest heavily in the airport.

“If the airport doesn’t follow the growth of the city, it will become an economic drag, as we think about the city in the future, including transportation,” Trombinso said.

With the recent announcement that the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles are moving to Greeley from Loveland and the University of Northern Colorado is building its Osteopathic Medical School in downtown Greeley, Trombino believes that “all of the things are starting to align for businesses and residents for further growth and jobs.”

With the Greeley-Weld County Airport directly sitting within the Colorado Enterprise Zone, it provides tax advantages for new businesses to invest in and around the airport. The city recently presented its Strategic Airport Business Plan to the FAA, highlighting how the airport can also develop an agriport and railport to connect. A major highlight is that the city “has the ability to create a spur off the main [Union Pacific Railroad] line,” which, in Trombino’s view, will open the airport and the surrounding area for further freight operations.

Future Airport Vision

It’s clear that the city has a strong vision for the airport, but building it up and making it commercially successful requires more than solid infrastructure. This includes interest from operators in utilizing the airport, alongside facing issues such as not being equipped with an air traffic control tower.

Trombino believes that there are multiple ways for Greeley to tackle this.

The 233rd Space Group is located right next to the airport and already utilizes some areas of the field. Trombino believes that if the city “made improvements, [the airport] could be a great training space for the Air Force National Guard.”

The city is exploring the option of taking advantage of its partnership with Aims Community College. Trombino views Aims as “such a good partner” and potentially “building an ATC tower in partnership with Aims” to allow training to occur at the airport, too.

Other ideas have also been proposed, including utilizing a remote tower system, which would be cheaper for the airport in capital and labor costs.

“I’m not afraid of having Greeley at the forefront of technology,” he said. “It’s a matter of where we are and where the industry is heading, [so] we haven’t built a new airport in the country since 1995.”

The logical next step is to understand the market dynamics of the surrounding area and how to convince airlines and passengers to select Greeley over Denver and Cheyenne, both of which are an hour away from the city, with all of the developmental plans starting to take place.

Trombino says the city wants to start conversing with carriers like JSX and others “by the end of the year.” His reasoning stems from reduced security costs and a proven model at Rocky Mountain.

Airlines such as JSX “will be important” and “could be competitive” at an airport like Greeley.

He compared the airport to existing models like Chicago-Midway or Orange County, allowing people to get in and out of the busier metro more efficiently than the bigger, more congested airports nearby.

The city “thinks that this needs to be a high-end airport,” with Trombino personally believing that Greeley could “become a primary ancillary airport” in the Front Range.

“The airlines have to know who we are and that we are coming,” Trombino said. “I think we will be the new place to be, and the people in the northern Front Range will be surprised.”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post Greeley’s Ambitious Plan to Become Colorado’s Third Major Airport appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Mark Flury, a pilot based at another airport, told the Seattle Times he well understands the turmoil the closure of First Air Field (W16) in Monroe, Washington, will cause, but the 36-acre parcel really is a great spot to centralize the Snohomish County Public Utility District electrical distribution services.

Geoffrey Thomas, the city’s mayor and a pilot and hangar renter at First Air Field, disagrees, but there’s not much he or his council can do about it.

The utilities district is offering the family of late former owner Dr. Daryl Habich, who operated a dental office on the airport and even took fly-in appointments, $7 million for the site. For the district, the property is ideal.

“The history of the site is important, but for us it’s really about finding a place that’s a good spot for our crews and a good spot for future growth for the county,” Public Utility District spokesperson Aaron Swaney told the newspaper. “We have to meet that growth, and we have to have facilities that can do that.”

But for local pilots, life without the field just won’t be the same.

“Yes, it’s had a private component, but it’s also a public good,” Thomas told the newspaper. “A place that helps keep us connected—not a place with a 6- or 8-foot-high fence that keeps us out.”

Thomas said that although the city zoning allows for the utility center, the area of the airport is tourism oriented and he’s afraid a large compound of equipment storage and offices will be out of place. He said there is no doubt the facilities are needed (the area is one of the fastest growing in the state) but wishes the utility had found another spot. Fellow pilot Flury said they looked at 10 other places before settling on the airport.

Assuming the deal goes through, it will take several years to break ground on the new facility, and Flury said the district will help pilots find new accommodations. But First Air will leave a hole.

“I’ve made some of my best friends here learning how to work on a plane and learning how to fly,” pilot Edward Haynes said. “It’s just sad to see it go and be another forgotten-about airport that was a really special place.”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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