January 29, 2008

FAA Part 139 Designation

CQX, thank you for your comments in regards to Cliver McFarlane's article. Although Clive was not aware that there are certain personnel that must be on staff to retain the Part 139 designation, I still want to thank Clive for at least bringing this discussion to the forefront.

Here is where I need some help from CQX and others. Maybe the question should be if we should downgrade from a FAA Part 139 airport? MassPort or whoever takes over ORH could always bring it back, right??

Look forward to all your comments.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you want airline service, you don't want to let your certification lapse.

I have no idea how long it would take to get recertified, but since it's from Uncle Sam, I'm sure there's a lengthy (and expensive) review process involved. And that sure wouldn't help in recruiting an air carrier at ORH.

Just wondering, too: If ARFF at the airport got eliminated, how far away is the nearest fire station? Park Ave.?

Anonymous said...

Just to clarify also, ORH security and ARFF are the same thing. They are not separate departments. They drive around in the police cruiser until an emergency comes in then they put on the fire gear and get in a fire truck. Also, if they were eliminated and responsibility was given to WFD, the city would have to pay to train WFD in ARFF and with the union, would have to work out a stipend for the added responsibility.

Mikey

Anonymous said...

Why not have the Leicester Fire Department pick up the extra work?

A large part of the airport is in Leicester, and I'm sure they would do it for much less than the WFD.

Bill Randell said...

CQX:

Again good points, but I have already given us little to no chance of getting any commerical service until this lame duck airport administration is ended. Nobody will want to come here in the middle of 6 month extensions.

Bill

Anonymous said...

I caught the last couple of seconds of the council meeting last night and I heard the manager talk in regards to the operating expense and how Massport will either be responsible for the full amount or 68% of the expense going back to 7-1-07. If that is correct we should keep the the part 139 and let Massport take over.

Anonymous said...

These negotiations with Massport are becoming very City Square-Esque:

a. Long and drawn out

b. both sides maybe taking very firm positions

c. City is negotiating from a position of major weakness which is their own fault.

d. no other suitors, again the citys fault

e. the pols dont want to give up any possible control over what is private property (City Sq) or what s/b private property (the airport)

e. The end result may very well bomb and/or goals/objectives will not met or met beyond the agreed to deadlines.


Am I the only one who is getting God dam sick & tired of reading every year at thsi time that the city snow budget was completely toasted less than 1/3 of the way throught winter?


Also keep in mind that our snow budget is really fuzzy math.......i.e. city paid labor & equipment costs are not included in the snow budget. I wonder if they use the same fuzzy math at the airport re: their snow operations?

File under: Snowed Taxpayer

Bill Randell said...

Tim:

Right now the deal is MassPort pays 68% of the operating debt and we pay 100% of the debt service. That was the deal the last year of the most recent 3 deal and has been the deal for the three 6 month extensions.

What the City Manager is saying is lets suppose MassPort ends up taking over 1/1/9, he is still talking about them maybe going back retro to 7/1/7 and have them change the deal from 68% to 100%.

Not that is small change but if we ned up leasing ORH long-term for a buck per year and they throw us a million for the operating losses that the City of Worcester has paid since 7/1/7,that would not be a bad idea.

I would rather have heard the City Manager say he was talking to other aurport authorities, airport management companyies other then MassPort about privatizing ORH. We could ask these companies also to pick up the the operating deficit since 7/1/7.

Anonymous said...

cqx I have a few questions for you about FAR 139 I found this page by mistake looking for new reporting software but if you can help me send me an email at GWhitf2927@yahoo.com