To prepare

for future growth, the Peachtree City Airport Authority is fast-tracking

a project to buy more land adjacent to Falcon Field's business park.

Federal Aviation

Administration officials have indicated grant funds will likely be available

for the estimated $1.3 million project soon, said Airport Manager Jim

Savage. The property in question is adjacent to the Hangar Area B, which

is currently under development.

The decision

was made at last week's authority meeting to make the land acquisition

project a top priority.

Authority Chairman

Cathy Nelmes said she thought the project was important to insure the

airport can grow in the coming years. Property around the airport is starting

to sell, she said, and the authority could miss out if it fails to act

soon.

Authority member

Doug Fisher said the land acquisition was a good idea, but he wondered

if it would hurt plans to install a precision landing approach system,

which would make it easier for pilots to land at the airport.

Nelmes said

it could affect that project but she was unsure.

"Yeah,

it's a gamble," she said. But if a precision approach is eventually

installed, Nelmes said she would hate to not have enough land for the

droves of aircraft that would want to locate at Falcon Field.

The precision

approach system would allow aircraft to follow a straight path down to

the ground when landing. Currently, approaching aircraft must gradually

proceed to lower altitudes, levelling off each time a more tedious process.

Savage said

the authority likely could still install the precision approach system

even if a structure is built in the way. The trouble is that Falcon Field

wasn't originally designed to have a precision approach system installed,

he said.

At recent meetings,

the authority has decided to earmark Hangar Area B as the "business"

area, setting lease rates there which wouldn't encourage the use of hangars

for storage purposes. In fact, of the six hangars currently on the drawing

board there, the authority is looking at combining two or three to attract

a maintenance facility to the area.

The authority

has also begun a marketing campaign to attract jets to the new hangar

area since the airport makes more of a profit selling jet fuel than just

renting the areas.

The plans to

acquire the land at Hangar Area B were originally ninth on the priority

list behind such projects as paving an overrun area for safety concerns

and acquiring easements for the precision approach project.

In other business,

the authority adopted a revised budget which included funds for a new

part-time customer service employee so it could free up management officials

to perform key tasks. The employee would essentially work 30 hours a week

at the front desk, freeing up Savage and assistant manager Andrew Bolton

for several hours each day to perform managerial duties.

Savage also

sought funds to train new employees after a recent round of resignations

has left him with several new positions to fill. Staff turnover was discussed

for a while, and Savage informed the authority that he works to attract

younger people though they are likely to leave after short periods of

time.

"We try

to hire students young folks who are interested in learning," Savage

said.

Savage recalled

once losing two young staffers at one time since they were hired away

as mechanics with better paying jobs. Recruitment is hurt by the low pay

scale the positions offer, he said.

The training

funds also include some buffer for necessary overtime though funds from

the new increase in the city's hotel-motel tax would not be used for either

overtime, training or the salary for the new part-time employee, Savage

said.

The authority

included the training funds in the budget with the plan to revisit the

staff turnover issue at a future meeting.

Back

to News Home Page |