Master Plan

Tracy Municipal Airport (http://www.ci.tracy.ca.us/departments/parks/transportation/airport/) has finished their Master Plan with our favorite airline consultant, Boyd Aviation. Lets hope our Master Plan has clear recommendations like theirs.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060802/NEWS01/608020312/1001

The Boyd Group's study of the Tracy airport released in June concluded that the airport contributes insignificantly to the economic well-being of Tracy, and it recommended several short- and long-term ways to improve. The list of immediate solutions includes reclaiming the aircraft fueling contract from operators of the Tracy Flight Center, building more hangars for general aviation and selling New Jerusalem Airport, an unused strip of concrete among the fields seven miles southeast of town.

But the city signed a contract through 2013 with Lloyd McFarlin to operate the flight center, including all fuel sales. And Howard said the Federal Aviation Administration has rebuffed Tracy's attempts to sell New Jerusalem for more than three years. Rod Buchanan, assistant director of parks and community services, said it still might be possible to sell the unused strip, but it might take hiring a political consultant who has experience dealing with the FAA."Maybe hiring a person with expertise in these matters could have a better outcome than we've had," he said.

Longer term, the study suggested building a new administrative complex and linking with city water and sewer lines. Both have been stated goals of the commission since it wrote a strategic plan in 2003.But the report also concluded that extending the main runway is too expensive and impractical given the airport's proximity to development and the California Aqueduct. Commissioners have stressed a 1,500-foot extension could help increase the amount of commercial aircraft that frequents the airport.Buchanan said only 200 to 300 feet are currently available for expansion, and huge sums of time and money would need to be spent on environmental reviews and public outreach before it could occur. And the FAA might not approve such a small change anyway when it would not alter substantially the airport's ability to lure bigger aircraft.

"The report is extremely fair," Buchanan said. "It addresses all the issues brought up by the commission and in my mind evaluates the entire picture and gives solid recommendations."