HomeMy Public PortalAboutAAC Minutes 1990 09/05AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 5, 1990
Attending: Bill Williams
Rick Fereday
Gordon Colburn
John Wolf
Richard Davis
Lyn Clark
Bud Schmidt
I. Status Report
A. Fence Project: The fencing project was completed
August 31.
B. AWOS: The station is not operating and the
manufacturer will be requested to assist in resolving
the unacceptable performance of the equipment.
C. NDB: This also failed but has been repaired and is
operational this date.
D. New Leases: The Beck and Anderson leases were
executed on August 28.
E. FAA Preapplication: On August 23 Mike Crader, FAA
and Wayne Pickerall, Idaho Bureau of Aeronautics
visited and reviewed progress on the airport. The
preapplication is now on the 1992 priority list for
funding, pending availability of local match.
F. Hanger Leases: The City Council has authorized
updating and revising leases on existing hangars.
This will be accomplished this fall and winter.
II. Letter from Don Eberle
Mr. Eberle's letter to the FAA was noted. Errors of fact
and logic were noted. (attached)
III.Additional Building, Manchester Lease
The committee reviewed a conceptual plan for erecting a
second 3000 s.f. building on the lease hold. A
differential on the lease rate and use of the facility
were in question.
The committee indicated no objection if the lease is
adjusted and if the building is used for aviation
purposes. Apparent lack of conformance with provisions of
the lease by the lessee regarding payment of the fuel
flowage fee and a management agreement for the fuel tank
with an FBO were noted.
IV. Adjournment
Without further business, the meeting adjourned at 8 a.m.
Arthur Jr./Schmidt
Airport anager
May 24, 1990
Mr. Dustin Sloan
FAA Flight Inspection Field Office
6349 Lindbergh Drive
Sacremento Executive Airport
Sacremento, California 95837
Re: McCall, Idaho NDB-A 16-1 dated 1/5/90.
Dear Mr. Sloan:
I feel that the circling portion of the new McCall NDB
approach is potentially unsafe for us who live, work or attend
public school in McCall near the probable flight path of a
circling aircraft in marginal weather,especially at night.
I realize that an aircraft can land straight-in when only
"circle-to-land" minimums are published for an approach, assuming
the pilot has the runway threshold environment in sight at a
point from which he can make a normal descent and landing. The
fact remains that if an aircraft is too close to the airport
(when the runway is sighted visually) for a normal descent or if
a tailwind exists; that the pilot may elect to circle. The
circle, in the McCall situation, requires a flight path over the
town of McCall including the public elementary and secondary
school. The circling maneuver is acceptable in visual conditions
but not the 1 1/4 (cat.A and B) or 2 3/4 (cat.C) visibility that
the FAA has approved.
McCall's weather, during the winter especially, is subject
to fog, low ceilings, marginal visibility and heavy
precipitation, which makes operating an aircraft in IFR
conditions a potential hazard unless the pilot has exceptional
local experience. To invite an unfamiliar and possibly
inexperienced pilot to attempt to make an NDB circling approach
(which I consider primarily a backup approach or a simulator
exercise) over the town of McCall via McCall 16-1 is a classic
setup for an accident.
Compounding the problem is the situation that before and
during storms the prevailing wind in McCall is from the south
which would require a disproportionate number of IFR approaches
to circle over McCall.
The McCall airport has MIRL and a VASI for the north runway
(34), which makes a straight-in NDB approach to runway 34
feasible. The straight-in approach is also over lightly populated
agricultural land. The circling flight path however not only
passes over town but there is no VASI on runway 16 making an IFR
cicle, especially at night, a difficult and unsafe maneuver.
The business community of McCall has grandiose plans to
utilize the McCall airport and new instrument approach to
increase tourism. Their plans include not only hopes for
increased air traffic to their "all-weather" airport but to
eventually entice a commuter carrier to schedule year around
flights to McCall. I view their plans impractical and unsafe;
even if a localizer is added to the present NDB. Because of its
proximity to higher terrain combined with marginal weather the
McCall airport can never approach their expectations. The answer
to their air transportation dreams is a new airport south of
McCall in a wider part of the valley where a localizer or full
ILS to low minimums combined with space for a missed approach
would be possible.
For the present please consider requiring VFR conditions for
an NDB initiated circling approach to the McCall airport. The
problem could easily be addressed by adding a note to the present
approach page stating that: a circling approach to runway 16
requires 6023'(1000')-3.
Sincerely,
Donald R. Eberle