RENO-TAHOE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT USERS COMMITTEE BRIEF OF MINUTES August 17, 2015 4:30 p.m. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Adam Mayberry, Chair Lt. Col. Jeff Schulstad Tracy Kalbfleisch Robert Meurer Tom Hegge Karl Scribner Trent Brownlee Kirk Montero MEMBERS ABSENT/EXCUSED Bill Eck, Vice Chair REPRESENTING Trustee Nevada Air National Guard Dassault Aircraft Services (SASO) Reno-Tahoe Aviation Group Reno-Tahoe Aviation Group Federal Aviation Administration Atlantic Aviation (FBO) U.S. Airways Trustee RTAA BOARD MEMBERS/STAFF PRESENT Marily Mora Tina Iftiger Jamie McCluskie Claire Johnson Mike Scott David Lazo Ken Moen Laurie Weeks Jim Liu The Reno-Tahoe International Airport Users Committee met at the Airport Authority Fire Station, Reno, Nevada. Chair Adam Mayberry called the meeting to order at 4:37 pm. I. ROLL CALL Roll was called. Trustee Adam Mayberry introduced himself as the new Committee Chair for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015-2016. At the request of Marily Mora, President/CEO, all committee members and meeting attendees introduced themselves. II. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES May 18, 2015 The Reno-Tahoe International Airport Users Committee unanimously approved the minutes from the May 18, 2015 meeting. III. PUBLIC COMMENT No public comment.
Page 2 of 8 IV. REVIEW OF COMMITTEE PURPOSE AND FUNCTION Chair Mayberry began by stating that he would like to set some ground rules to preserve the decorum of the committee and help the meetings run efficiently. During presentations, he asked that questions and comments be held to the end of the presentation. The presenter will let the Chair know when they are finished with their presentation, following which the Chair will open the meeting up to questions and comments, first to committee members and then subsequently to the audience. Chair Mayberry indicated that since the committee is moving into its fifth year, he placed this item on the agenda as an opportunity for discussion and to insure from the members perspectives that the committee is still working as intended and serving the needs of the Airport users. Next, Chair Mayberry turned it over to Ms. Mora to give a brief overview of the Committee s purpose and function. Ms. Mora referred to the bylaws and stated that the Committee was first established and bylaws approved at the RTAA Board meeting on May 19, 2011. The original bylaws included a sunset clause to the committee, and at the request of the committee, the bylaws were brought back to the Board on March 13, 2014 to remove the sunset clause. That is the only modification made to the initial bylaws, and all other aspects of the Users Committee including membership, terms of office, and purpose, etc., remain the same as was originally described. Ms. Mora indicated that apparently there has been some discussion regarding the two general aviation representatives being hangar tenants and Reno-Tahoe Aviation Group (RTAG) members. She said that if there is a desire to change the representation, how the committee is being operated, or the term limits, that discussion can certainly be entertained. However, Ms. Mora did point out that there are a few members, specifically the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Tower, the Fixed Base Operator (FBO), and Nevada Air National Guard (NANG), who do not have term limits assigned. The reason for this is to allow for continuing representation by the most senior person of those entities, and term limits may prevent that from occurring. Chair Mayberry stated that prior to today s meeting, he reached out to committee members for their feedback on how the committee is functioning. So far, feedback from Committee members indicates the committee is working well and no changes have been suggested. He asked the Committee if there are any general comments or questions about the Users Committee and how it works. Bob Meurer, President of RTAG, commented that the Users Committee is very effective and provides a forum for the general aviation users to voice their opinions, discuss issues, and develop solutions with the Airport Authority that work for everyone. Mr. Meurer believes that the Users Committee enables that process to happen in an organized manner and feels the Committee should be maintained as it is currently operating. Committee member Tom Hegge commented that he thinks the Committee is functioning great, and stressed that the purpose of the Committee is not to be a vehicle for disseminating information from RTAA staff, but rather for Airport users to bring forward ideas and issues to the Board of Trustees in an effort to make aviation better for all users of the Airport. Chair Mayberry opened the discussion
Page 3 of 8 up to members of the audience. John Howitt commented that he has been involved with the RTIA Users Committee since its inception. The two appointments from the general aviation community have always been advanced directly to the Board of Trustees by the RTAG President. It is Mr. Howitt s recommendation that this appointment process continues, as he believes it builds trust and works well in terms of allowing the general aviation community to bring forward what they feel is important. Chair Mayberry confirmed that as long as he is chair of the committee, that process will remain the same. V. AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION UPDATE a. Taxiway C Reconstruction David Lazo, Manager of Engineering and Construction, provided a brief update on the Taxiway C Reconstruction project at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. The phasing plan for the Taxiway C reconstruction was covered at the May 18 th Users Committee meeting. Today s discussion focuses on an update of the work in progress which began on July 27, 2015. Mr. Lazo began by mentioning there is construction currently underway on the upgrade of the Central Disposal Facility with an expected completion date of November 30, 2015, and that the airfield pavement repairs on Runway 16R-34L originally slated for summer 2015 have been deferred until spring 2016, specifically because of the Taxiway C reconstruction work and all of the taxiway and runway closures that will be occurring this summer and fall in conjunction with the reconstruction. Mr. Lazo oriented the group to where Taxiway C reconstruction is located on the airfield. He stated that contractually the project completion date is January 22, 2016 and the intention is to remain on schedule. The contractor is looking at efficiencies that can be brought to the project in order to get the heavy work completed prior to winter weather setting in. Mr. Lazo reminded the Committee of the extensive stakeholder coordination and outreach that was conducted. The contract is 180 days with a fairly complicated phasing plan that encompasses three milestones and nine phases. Next, Mr. Lazo pointed out a couple of changes in the phasing plan; first, the addition of sub phase III-E to the contract for the reconstruction of a reinforced concrete box culvert in the vicinity of the Atlantic Aviation facility, and second, a resequencing of the work at the south corner of the Atlantic Aviation ramp. Mr. Lazo zeroed in on the current phase of the reconstruction by describing the work that is currently underway, as well as the vehicle rerouting on the service road and taxiway closures occurring at this time. He concluded his presentation by saying that the current phase will be in effect for approximately the next 30 days.
Page 4 of 8 Mr. Meurer commented that the contractor, the FAA Control Tower, and the pilots are doing a great job of working together, and coordinating with the aircraft traffic maneuvers around the construction. Bob Larkin echoed Mr. Meurer s comments, and inquired about how the delayed start time of the reconstruction project will affect the Burning Man traffic. Chair Mayberry deferred this question to the next agenda item VI. Mr. Larkin asked about the schedule for bringing Taxiway Charlie to the east specifically during Phase III-C. Mr. Lazo responded that removal of the existing asphalt will begin this week and Phase III-C will continue for the next 30-35 days. Next, Mr. Larkin asked if the airfield pavement repairs to be completed in spring 2016 will include resurfacing of the entire Reno Flying Service area. Mr. Lazo responded that the scope of the airfield pavement repairs program is strictly taxiways and runways, however apron areas that are not tenant specific are being brought into the program. A discussion followed regarding the condition of the tenant ramps in that area, as well as the surfaces between the hangar rows on the west side, and whether there are any provisions planned to address the poor disposition of those areas. Mr. Lazo indicated that staff will take a look at those sections of ramps and provide follow up on these issues. VI. BURNING MAN AND AIR RACE OPERATIONS PLANNING Mike Scott, Vice President of Operations and Public Safety, discussed the Burning Man and Air Race operational plans, and the variables associated with the Taxiway C reconstruction activities. He began by saying that meetings have been occurring for some time between Atlantic Aviation, the FAA Tower, and RTAA staff with regard to handling the extra aircraft activities during Burning Man and the Air Races. On August 30 th when Burning Man activities will begin to pick up, it is expected that the northern exit from Atlantic Aviation connecting with Juliet will be opened up. Taxiway C will be closed between that northern exit/entrance from Atlantic Aviation to taxiway Lima. Lima and the exits on the south side of Atlantic Aviation will remain open in both directions. Taxiway C between GA East and Delta will be closed. Mr. Scott stated it is expected there will be approximately five helicopters located at Atlantic Aviation conducting shuttle operations between RNO and Black Rock Airport, as well as approximately 11 to 12 single engine aircraft running charter operations airport to airport. In addition, there will be a surge of general aviation aircraft dropping off people at Atlantic Aviation who are getting on charters to the Black Rock Desert. Mr. Scott indicated that all three runways will be operational, with the two parallels open for traffic flow. The departure operations will be dependent on wind direction and this will factor into which runways are used for GA and charter departures. He said that this tempo of activity will take place for about a week during the period of August 30 th September 6 th or 7 th. Next, Mr. Scott showed a visual depicting what the Atlantic Aviation ramp is expected to look like during that period and where the charters and helicopters will be located. He mentioned that tents will be set up for the charter operators to use as
Page 5 of 8 base camps, where they will operate from to collect their customers and their baggage. A discussion among committee members and members of the audience followed regarding GA operations during the week of Burning Man for those tenants and Airport users who are not involved in the event, and how they should handle the potential congestion that may be occurring. Next, Mr. Scott discussed the operational plans to be followed during the Air Races. He indicated it is expected that during peak periods there will be in excess of 300 aircraft parked at the Airport. The tentative plan is to follow the same operational procedures that have been implemented during recent years events. He discussed the outbound flow of aircraft, the sequencing of aircraft for departures, and the procedures that will be followed for aircraft crossing the runway during the periods of mass exodus. Mr. Scott said he expects these operations will be transparent, but recommended it may be wise for local GA pilots to avoid flying on the afternoon of Sunday, September 20 th and the early morning of Monday, September 21 st. Finally, Mr. Scott indicated that arrangements have been made for Stead tenants to reposition their planes at RTIA during the Air Races if they so choose. Karl Scribner, FAA Air Traffic Manager at RNO, pointed out that every phase and sub phase of the Taxiway C reconstruction is requiring a different flow of air traffic on the Airport. He stated this project is far more complex than any runway closure ever experienced at RTIA. Mr. Scribner recommended that Airport users not count on the aviation precepts of predictability, reliability, and repeatability that can usually be expected. For example, if a pilot departs from a particular runway at 8 am in the morning, they should not count on the same course of departure at 11 am. He said pilots should really make sure to listen to runway assignments, and if there is any question on the assignment, they should ask the Tower for clarification. VII. FAA PART 139 INSPECTION DEBRIEF Mr. Scott provided a debriefing on the 2015 FAA Part 139 Inspection recently conducted from August 3-6, 2015 by the FAA Inspector from the Los Angeles Office of Airports Division. The Airport is required to demonstrate compliance with a total of 254 items. Mr. Scott said he is happy to report that the Airport has retained its Part 139 Operating Certificate. During the out brief, the Inspector was very laudable on the condition and quality of the airfield, airfield operations and the Airport Authority s partnership with the FAA Tower. VIII. UPDATE ON NEW INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES DEVELOPMENT Mr. Scribner began by discussing pilot deviations. He indicated that four Brasher warnings were received during the last two weeks and all the warnings were on local pilots. He described what the warnings were for and made suggestions as to what pilots should and should not do in each type of situation in order to remain safe and in compliance. Next, he discussed how pilots should work with the Tower and not ground control when receiving taxiing and departure instructions, and also
Page 6 of 8 that pilots should minimize jabber on the radio in order to avoid confusion. Finally, he related an incident that recently occurred at the airport in South Lake Tahoe having to do with a pilot not paying attention to notams and not knowing which frequency to announce on. He stressed the importance of both of these actions. Mr. Scribner discussed the current ILS approach procedures and the new instrument approach procedures in development. The new ILS-Z will replace the Silver ILS approach for public use but requires GPS for a missed approach segment. ILS-Y, which will replace the current ILS Runway 16R approach, will be the standard approach and will also be open for public use. The new ILS-Y and ILS Z approach procedures offer essentially four similar but distinct public use ILS approaches that offer more operational benefits based on aircraft performance. It is expected the new approach procedures will be published in February 2016. John Howitt asked if there is any update on the Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range (VOR) Delta approach which the FAA has petitioned to do away with. Mr. Scribner responded there has been no update received. Finally, Mr. Scribner mentioned the fact that there are numerous drone incidents, near misses, every day in the national airspace. Commercially, there are control measures in place, but there are currently no regulations for drone hobbyists. Locally, a company named Trimble will be using a drone for surveying the southeast connector. Trimble will be assigned a section of class Charlie airspace and the Tower will not let any planes near the restricted airspace when the surveying is being done. Washoe County Emergency Management has a Certificate of Authorization (COA) to use drones at The Ponderosa in Incline Village, at Verdi, at Reno-Stead Airport, the Black Rock Desert, and at their headquarters on Spectrum Blvd. Notams will be produced and Mr. Scribner recommended that pilots check their notams regarding drone activities in these areas. IX. UPDATE ON RTIA GA MINIMUM STANDARDS REVIEW PROCESS Ken Moen, Economic Development Specialist, provided an update on the GA Minimum Standards (GAMS) review process that is currently underway. The GAMS CEO Advisory Committee, which is comprised of Airport stakeholders, held their first meeting on April 23, 2015. The committee has met approximately eight times and has been conducting a thorough review of the existing standards. It is not yet determined whether a partial update of specific sections or a rewrite of the entire document will be done. A Public Workshop is tentatively scheduled for October 8, 2015 for the purpose of sharing suggested changes that are being discussed with stakeholders and gaining their feedback. Mr. Moen clarified that the GA Minimum Standards are meant for commercial operators, i.e. fixed base operators, MROs, avionics shops, etc., and governs the Airport s rules and procedures regarding leasing and operations on the Airport. The goal is to lower the barrier and make the Airport more open to additional aviation business, while at the same time, continuing to provide high quality services by high quality providers and assuring that minimum safety standards are met. The committee s next meeting is scheduled for August 27 th, and the objective is to have a draft of proposed changes ready for committee review in preparation for the public
Page 7 of 8 workshop. A survey was sent out to 57 aviation service providers in the region and the committee has heard back from approximately 11% of those. X. OPERATION SANTA CLAUS 2015 PLANNING Bob Meurer, President of RTAG, discussed planning activities for the Operation Santa Claus 2015. He began by listing the entities who worked with RTAG and the Children s Cabinet last year to provide a Christmas for 20 families in the area. Those entities include the RTAA, National Guard, FAA Tower, Reno-Stead pilots, the Civil Air Patrol, Reno Flying Service, American MedFlight, WhisperJet and Atlantic Aviation. The idea is to follow the same plan again this year, but to increase the number of families. Next, Mr. Meurer showed a video of last year s event that was produced by the Civil Air Patrol. Mr. Howitt mentioned that one change to this year s event will be to integrate the seating of sponsors with the families to foster more interaction. Mr. Meurer thanked everyone involved for making the event so successful. XI. XII. XIII. RTIA USERS COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE November 9, 2015 February 8, 2016 May 16, 2016 FIXED BASED OPERATOR (FBO) UPDATE Trent Brownlee of Atlantic Aviation announced that Atlantic s ramp construction project began today and will run through November 30, 2015. The contractor will start at the north and work their way south. Open areas for parking and taxiing will be maintained throughout the project. Mr. Brownlee also mentioned the availability of T-Hangars, there being five (5) on the east side and four (4) on the west side. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) TOWER UPDATE Mr. Scribner stated that he had no additional updates for the group. XIV. MEMBER ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS Tom Hegge of RTAG suggested two items for a future meeting. First, that an update be provided on the hangar maintenance issues that were identified during the update to the tenants lease. Second, since hangar vacancies have been reduced, he suggested that a long term strategy needs to be developed for building new hangars on the east side. Mr. Hegge made reference to the east side land being considered for auction to other uses, and he wants to make sure there is property set aside on the east side for new hangars to be built. Comparatively speaking to the market, the east side hangars are outdated and new hangars with modern capabilities need to be built to meet expectations of high end aviators. Mr. Larkin added that the land development emphasis needs to be shifted to the east side with a time schedule and similar process to what was done at Reno-Stead Airport, which was originally the plan for the east side. Chair Mayberry stated his agreement with looking at development on the east side, but discouraged the committee from getting into costs, rates and charges, as that is to be vetted through the Finance and Business Development Committee.
Page 8 of 8 The next meeting of the RTIA Users Committee will be held on Monday, November 9, 2015. XV. PUBLIC COMMENT None. XVI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:03 p.m.