MINUTES
Airport Noise and Safety Committee
Thursday, February 22, 2007 – 5:00 p.m.
Fullerton Council Chamber
303 West Commonwealth Avenue

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Fullerton:
Jeff Harris (arrived at 5:50)
Michael Johnson
Ashok Patel

Buena Park:
Tom Atkins
Robert Hynes, Chair
Dottie Jones

STAFF PRESENT:
Rod Propst, Fullerton Airport Manager
Susan McGraw, Secretary

STAFF ABSENT:
Jay Saltzberg, Buena Park

CALL TO ORDER
Chair Hynes called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The Minutes of December 6, 2006, were approved as submitted.

OLD BUSINESS

1.NOISE AND OPERATIONS REPORT/AIRPORT INCIDENTS.

Airport Manager Propst reported on traffic counts for November and December 2006, and January 2007, all which were reasonable. The twelve month total for calendar year 2006 was just over 68,000 and the past twelve ‘consecutive’ months was almost 70,000.This is first time in several months for an upward trend in the ops count.

Incidents and complaints:We have received four complaints since the last meeting, three less than this same quarter last year.One helicopter complaint and three complaints of a variety of different aircraft.

The first call was from ‘Bonnie’, who lives in the vicinity of Bastanchury and Harbor.She was very concerned about a low flying aircraft and the noise it caused; discussed FAA restrictions related to height over urbanized areas, operations tempo, and the number of based aircraft at Fullerton Airport.She was essentially satisfied with the responses to her questions.

Mr. Harris asked how complaints are received.Mr. Propst stated calls are taken by Airport staff and referred to him.After hours and weekend calls are taken by an answering service.The service completes complaint forms which are faxed to our office the next business day, and responded to within two working days.Complaints are required to be retained for five years.

The second complaint, from Mrs. Taylor in the vicinity of Coyote Hills, was concerned about a red helicopter hovering and circling over her house.It happened to be the day that Tony Albanese, the mechanic who was severely injured in the Tri-motor crash, went flying and subsequently received a lot of media coverage.

Mr. Kambak, through the City Manager’s office, was concerned generally about airplanes over his neighborhood, the newspaper article about new hangars and jets coming into the Airport, etc.Mr. Propst advised him that the Airport has the same amount of airplanes for the last 10 years, that the new hangar project will only be a net increase of 24 hangars, and the technology is on the cusp of putting very light jets into the system.In truth, these new jets are actually quieter than some of the propeller-driven airplanes.Mr. Kambak was relatively satisfied with this response.

The final complainant stated she had just purchased a new home in Fullerton, moving out of the flight path at Long Beach.Mr. Propst told her about the ops tempo and reminded that this information should have disclosed before escrow closing.

2.AIRPORT MONTHLY SAFETY INSPECTIONS

Mr. Propst apologized for not getting a December inspection.Mr. Atkins did the inspection and had asked about “frangible mounting”.Anything in the runway safety area has to be on a breakaway mounting.If an airplane runs into an object, the frangible mounting causes the object to break preventing the airplane nose wheel, etc, from breaking.

Mr. Johnson did the inspection for January, and everything was satisfactory until a vehicle fire broke out at one of the tied owns at AFFIX.Buena Park Fire Department responded and it took quite some time to extinguish the engine blaze.

Mr. Hynes did the February inspection, which was satisfactory.Mr. Propst stated the Airport is nearly a $2 million operation covering 86 acres, all being handled by 5.5 staff members.

Leonard Jimenez, Lead Airport Worker will be scheduling future inspections.If any committee members are interested, contact him at the office.Mr. Jimenez will be moving upstairs into the Administrative office, taking over responsibility of the Brivo security system, monitoring of the hangar tenancy, including billing, airworthiness, etc.

Mr. Patel advised that he is scheduled for March inspection.He also suggested an assigned month.Ms. Jones volunteered to do the April inspection.

Mr. Propst invited the Committee Members to call him for a personal tour of the Airport at their convenience.

3.MANAGER’S AIRPORT UPDATE

The City has begun working on the Two-Year 2007-08 and 2008-09 Budget.Programming for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 enterprise funds means trying to estimate that revenues and expenses balance so we don’t spend more than we make.

The current problem with this balancing is because the hangars that we borrowed for two years ago are not generating any revenue because they are not yet rented.At the beginning of the new fiscal budget, the Airport will be $71,000 in the hole.The anticipation is however, that at the end of 2007-08 revenue will be up to $300,000 due to interest earned by placing the proceeds into interest bearing accounts, the hangar project coming in below engineer’s estimate for the project by a several thousand dollars, and hangars finally being rented. The revenue/expenses should balance in the second year.

A copy of the draft budget will be brought to this Committee in May.By ordinance, the budget will go to the Transportation and Circulation Commission for review and approval recommendation to the City Council.

Presently, hangar buildings 1, 2, and 3 are nearly complete and a paving conference was held this with the FAA and the pacing contractor so that everything meets FAA standards.Paving is being scheduled now with R. J. Noble.

Anaheim Police Department contractor is working feverishly and should be in new facility in next two months.

Attended the Airport Managers conference in Monterey this January, and after interfacing with other airport managers, it became evident that Fullerton has insignificant problems comparatively.

Attended a helicopter seminar in Van Nuys In February.

Advised of changes made to the administrative personnel, i.e., Lenny Jimenez spending more time in the office, new administrative secretary, office rearrangement, and projection to bring the part-time Airport Service Worker to full time in the second year of the Budget.

COMMITTEE COMMENTS

Currently, Lenny Jimenez` will not have a new title at this time. Responsibilities will be evaluated in a year or so.In the event of Manger’s absence, Lenny is in charge followed by other airport workers.If a catastrophe occurs, the Director of Engineering becomes involved.

Responding to Mr. Patel, the Phase I hangars should all be rented by the end of May and Phase II should all be rented by the end of this year, helping to balance the budget by this time next year.The question is whether the next two-year budget will reflect a true balance.

The new hangars will provide the biggest portion of the revenue, $600 – $850 for the new hangars.This will be just enough to amortize the loan at .55/sq. ft. for 24 new hangars. The real issue is to ensure the revenue stream increases by 3-5% annually, which will give us positive net assets.

The new hangars will accommodate light jets that probably will provide non-scheduled chartered jet service.Also as many as two airplanes can fit into a hangar, depending on size.The problem arises when the sub-tenant wants to remain if the original lessee decides to vacate.

Landing fees are not charged to general aviation airplanes.However, we do charge a landing fee to commercial operators.Fuel flowage fees are also charged which tend to make up the difference if landing fees were charges.Discussion then touched on the current Federal Administration’s plan to charge user fees to the general aviation community, which would have a huge negative impact.

Fullerton has two FBOs that provide fuel.Anaheim PD provides its own fuel; is paying rent during construction; uses three different air routes at night, currently doing 10-15 operations a night.

Responding to the subject of “free-loaders” on the airfield, Lenny is covering this issue intensely; looking at software to track hangars, insurance, payments, annual inspections, etc.

The City of La Mirada intends to move forward with the rebuilding of the KFI antenna.At a hearing just before Christmas, Fullerton staff attended their Planning Commission meeting, and our City Attorney out objections.Clear Channel is the driving force for rebuilding antenna.

Ms. Jones inquired about any action this Commission can take.Mr. Propst stated that a resolution was passed by the Commission approximately sour years ago, which was unheeded by Clear Channel and the FAA.There is no way to track near-misses with this tower at Fullerton.

Mr. Patel suggested a special meeting about meeting held at the City of La Mirada regarding the KFI Tower.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

None

ADJOURNMENT

The Noise and Safety Committee was adjourned to the next quarterly meeting, Thursday, May 24, 2007,5:00 p.m.