Falcon

Field is receiving more than $500,000 in grants from

state and federal authorities for improvements, it was

announced at Wednesday night's regular monthly meeting of

the Peachtree City Airport Authority.

The funds,

which are from the Georgia Department of Transportation

and the Federal Aviation Administration, are for the

second phase of the taxiway and taxilane project for

hangar area B, airport manager Jim Savage reported.

This will

allow the purchase of 2.13 acres of additional land

needed for the project, as well as the construction of

taxiways for lots B-6 through B-10 and updating the

airport's master plan, Savage said.

Official

appraisal documents on the land have not yet arrived, but

it apparently is in the $35,000-per-acre range. A formal

offer to purchase the land for $77,350 has been extended

to Pathway Communities, Savage said, and that entire

amount is included in the FAA grant.

Construction

will begin as soon as the airport has title to the land,

hopefully within two weeks, Savage said.

In other

business, the Airport Authority approved a six-month for

slightly more than $600,000. That figure allows for a

fixed base operation from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. instead of

the previous hours, 6 a.m. until 10 p.m.

The new

budget includes lease increases of 15 percent for all

areas except hangar D, which has 20-year leases. Those

rates will go up 3.5 percent, which is the consumer price

index-related hike allowed under those leases. The other

leases are of the 30-day variety and can change virtually

anytime.

One tenant

pointed out that he has been paying 51 cents per square

foot per year and is now being raised to 58 cents, while

prices for the hangar space not yet constructed are being

listed at 45 cents. Authority chairman Robert Patterson

said that he understood his concerns, but the lease rates

would stay as they are and he suggested that the tenant

take a space in the new area when it is completed.

The budget

was approved by a 3-1 vote, with Patterson, H.E.

Buffington and Catherine Nelmes in favor. Susan Cates

voted against it, and David Good was not present at the

meeting.

An office

lease with Enterprise Rent-A-Car was approved

unanimously. The car company will take nearly 600 square

feet of space at the airport under a three-year lease and

pay for any improvements to the office that it deems

necessary.

Savage said

that Enterprise has already proven to be much easier to

work with than Thrifty, which had a previous agreement

with the airport and shared space in the main terminal.

A contract

with MilerTronics of Melbourne, FL, was renewed for

maintenance of airport navigational equipment. Nelmes

inquired as to why a local company could not be used, and

Savage replied that he could not find a suitable one. The

contract has a bailout clause with a 90-day notice if

necessary.

Tom Barnes

of the Wings Over Dixie air show gave a detailed report

of the success of that event, held last month. He said

that a $100,000 profit is expected from the 1999 show,

compared to only $6,600 from 1998.

The show

was much more successful this year because of better

marketing and lower expenses, Barnes said. He cited

examples such as using school buses for shuttling patrons

from the parking lots at Starr's Mill High School at a

savings of about $15,000 over last year, when motor

coaches were rented.

Also

instrumental was the handling of food sales. Last year a

commercial vendor was brought in, and Barnes said that

vendor got most of the profits. This year all of that was

turned over to various local civic organizations, and

they made about $50,000 for a number of charitable

causes. One group just sold drinks all weekend and made

$8,000.

Wings Over

Dixie has become a community event, and the organizers

intend to capitalize on that for next year, Barnes said.

Resources such as the International Council of Air Shows

and the FAA, both of which produce manuals and other

materials to help organize such events, will be utilized.

While there

were areas in 1999 that need improvement, such as

security and cleanup, planning has already begun for next

year and that should be a big plus, according to Barnes.

One

challenge being looked at for next year is improving the

parking situation. About 4,000 cars paid to park at the

airport and Starr's Mill this year, Barnes said.

Patterson

suggested that businesses between the airport and the

high school be looked at. Barnes said that Panasonic was

approached in 1998, but said no because of liability

concerns.

The

Snowbirds, an aerobatic team from Canada, is already

being recruiting to perform at Wings Over Dixie in 2000,

Barnes said. He has been working with the Canadian

consulate in Atlanta and has enlisted U.S. Rep. Mac

Collins to put in a good word as well.

Barnes

acknowledges, however, that the chances are not great,

since the team only performs five or six times a year in

the United States and Wings Over Dixie is a small event

compared to many in this country.

The 1999

show cost about $130,000 to put on, with about $80,000 in

sponsorship money expected from AirTran, Compaq

computers, and a number of other companies. The cost for

the 1998 show was about $153,000.

After

Barnes' presentation, the Authority voted to approve the

use of the airport for the 2000 show, provided that the

airport is not stuck for any expenses.

The

airport's Internet access has been converted to Newnan

Utilities, Savage reported, and that company will soon be

hosting the Falcon Field Web site. The new fiber-optic

line is much cheaper than the old ISBN line - about

$1,000 worth - but not yet faster, as it is supposed

to be.

Patterson

asked if the Web site is getting enough hits to be

worthwhile. Savage replied that it is getting more

cost-effective, now at $200 or so per month instead of

the $1,500 per month it cost before. "We need to

keep an eye on that," Patterson said.