Table of Contents
Table of Contents Chapter One Introduction... 1-1 Key Issues... 1-2 Process... 1-2 Chapter Two Inventory of Existing Conditions... 2-1 FAA Certification and Classification... 2-1 FAR Part 139 Certification... 2-2 FAA Classification... 2-3 Airport Setting... 2-4 Locale... 2-4 Meteorological Conditions... 2-7 Climate... 2-7 Wind Coverage... 2-7 Historic Data... 2-10 Airport History... 2-10 Previous Planning Documents... 2-11 Historic Aircraft and Activity Counts... 2-13 Based Aircraft... 2-13 Aircraft Operations... 2-13 Airfield Environment... 2-14 Runway 13-31... 2-16 Runway 6-24... 2-17 Runway 2-20... 2-17 Taxiways... 2-17 Taxiway A... 2-17 Taxiway B... 2-18 Taxiway C... 2-18 Taxiway D... 2-18 Taxiway E... 2-18 Taxiways A-3 and B-3... 2-18 Instrument Approaches... 2-18 Table of Contents i
ILS Instrument Approaches... 2-19 VOR/GPS Instrument Approaches... 2-20 Airfield Lighting... 2-21 Identification Lighting... 2-21 Runway Lighting... 2-21 Taxiway and Taxilane Lighting... 2-21 Pavement Markings... 2-22 Takeoff and Landing Aids... 2-22 Airfield Signage... 2-23 Automatic Weather Observation System... 2-23 Seaplane Base... 2-23 Airspace and Air Traffic Control... 2-25 Landside Facilities... 2-27 East Area... 2-27 West Area... 2-29 South Area... 2-30 Airport Infrastructure... 2-30 Electric Power... 2-31 Sanitary Sewer... 2-31 Water... 2-31 Environmental Overview... 2-31 Compatible Land Use... 2-32 Water Quality... 2-32 Wetlands... 2-34 Floodplains... 2-34 Historic, Architectural, Archaeological, and Cultural Resources... 2-34 Biotic Communities... 2-35 Endangered and Threatened Species of Flora and Fauna... 2-35 Conclusion... 2-35 Chapter Three Aviation Activity Forecasts... 3-1 Historic Based Aircraft and Annual Operations... 3-2 Previous Aviation Activity Forecasts... 3-3 1995... 3-3 FAA Terminal Area Forecasts... 3-4 Florida Aviation System Plan... 3-5 Table of Contents ii
Forecasting Approach... 3-6 Industry Trends and Impacts of September 11, 2001... 3-7 Forecast of Based Aircraft... 3-8 Projection of Based Aircraft using Historic Growth... 3-8 Projection of Based Aircraft using National Forecasts... 3-8 Projection of Based Aircraft using FAA TAF Growth Rate... 3-9 Selected Based Aircraft Forecast... 3-9 Projected Based Aircraft Fleet Mix... 3-10 National Projection of the Active General Aviation Fleet... 3-10 St. Augustine Projected Based Aircraft Fleet Mix... 3-12 Forecast of General Aviation Aircraft Operations... 3-14 Projection of General Aviation Aircraft Operations using Historic Growth... 3-14 Projection of General Aviation Aircraft Operations using National Forecasts... 3-14 Forecast using General Aviation Operations per Based Aircraft... 3-15 Selected Annual General Aviation Aircraft Operations Forecast... 3-15 Projection of Passenger Service Operations and Enplanements... 3-16 Passenger Peak Enplanement Forecasts... 3-17 Total Annual Operations Forecast... 3-18 Types of Aircraft Operations... 3-18 Local versus Itinerant Split... 3-18 Instrument Operations... 3-19 Operational Fleet Mix... 3-20 Peak Activity... 3-20 Summary of Activity Forecasts... 3-21 Chapter Four Airfield Demand/Capacity Analysis... 4-1 Hourly Runway Capacity... 4-1 Theoretical Annual Airfield Capacity... 4-3 Annual Aircraft Delay... 4-4 Summary... 4-5 Chapter Five Facility Requirements... 5-1 Airport Role and FAR Part 139 Certification... 5-2 Table of Contents iii
Airport Reference Code... 5-3 Runway Requirements... 5-6 Configuration... 5-7 Primary Runway... 5-8 Length Analysis... 5-8 Width Requirements... 5-12 Blast Pads... 5-12 Pavement Strength... 5-12 Pavement Condition... 5-12 Safety Criteria... 5-13 Declared Distances... 5-14 Crosswind Runway... 5-14 Critical Aircraft... 5-15 Length Analysis... 5-15 Width Requirements... 5-15 Safety Criteria... 5-16 Pavement Strength... 5-16 Pavement Condition... 5-18 Taxiway System Requirements... 5-18 Taxiway A... 5-18 Taxiway B... 5-19 Taxiway C... 5-19 Taxiway D... 5-20 Taxiway E... 5-20 New Taxiways... 5-20 Airfield Facilities... 5-21 Instrument Approaches... 5-21 Airfield Lighting... 5-21 Airfield Signage... 5-22 Pavement Markings... 5-22 Visual Landing Aids... 5-23 Apron Pavement... 5-23 Wind Direction Indicators... 5-23 Airport Support Facilities... 5-24 Air Traffic Control Tower... 5-24 Electrical Vault... 5-24 Security Fencing... 5-24 Fuel Storage Requirements... 5-25 Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Building... 5-25 Table of Contents iv
Commercial Passenger Terminal Area... 5-26 Seaplane Base... 5-27 General Aviation Facilities... 5-29 Hangar Demand... 5-29 Aircraft Parking Apron... 5-32 Transient Aircraft Apron Requirements... 5-32 Based Aircraft Apron Requirements... 5-34 Overall Aircraft Parking Apron Requirements... 5-34 Demand for General Aviation Pilot and Passenger Terminal Space... 5-35 Airport Access... 5-37 Utility Infrastructure... 5-38 Land Acquisition... 5-38 Summary of Facility Requirements... 5-38 Chapter Six Alternative Analysis... 6-1 Runway Safety Area Improvements... 6-2 Runway 2-20 Dual Usage Conflict... 6-3 Airfield Alternatives... 6-4 Alternative A... 6-5 Alternative B... 6-9 Alternative C... 6-11 Alternative D... 6-13 Alternative E... 6-15 Preferred Airfield Alternative... 6-18 General Aviation and Support Facilities... 6-20 North General Aviation Area... 6-20 South General Aviation Area... 6-23 Commercial Passenger Facilities... 6-29 Support Facilities... 6-32 Air Traffic Control Tower... 6-32 Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Facilities... 6-34 Seaplane Base... 6-34 Airfield Lighting and NAVAIDS... 6-35 Airport Authority Facilities... 6-37 Environmental Mitigation Overview... 6-38 Regulatory Agencies... 6-39 Mitigation Ratios... 6-39 Mitigation Options... 6-39 Recommendation... 6-40 Table of Contents v
Summary... 6-41 Chapter Seven Airport Plans Set... 7-1 Introduction... 7-1 Airport Plans Set... 7-1 Cover Sheet... 7-2 Data Sheet... 7-2 Airport Layout Plan Drawing... 7-3 General Aviation Terminal Drawing... 7-3 Inner Portion of Approach Surface Drawings... 7-3 Airport Airspace Drawings... 7-4 Land Use Drawing... 7-4 Airport Property Map... 7-4 Summary... 7-4 Chapter Eight Implementation Plan... 8-1 Introduction... 8-1 Airport Financial Structure... 8-1 Program Phasing and Cost Estimating... 8-2 Capital Development Program (CDP)... 8-2 Probable Development Costs... 8-3 Short-Term Improvements... 8-8 Intermediate Term Improvements... 8-8 Long-Term Improvements... 8-8 CDP Summary... 8-8 Funding Sources... 8-9 Federal Funding Sources... 8-9 Airport Improvement Program... 8-9 State Funding Sources... 8-10 Local/Private Funding Sources... 8-10 Financial Feasibility Assessment... 8-10 Projected Operating Revenues and Expenses... 8-11 Airport Rates and Charges... 8-11 Aircraft Storage Revenue... 8-12 Fuel Flowage Revenue Projections... 8-12 Cash Flow Analysis... 8-13 Conclusions... 8-16 Table of Contents vi
Appendix A Common Aviation Acronyms Appendix B Socioeconomic Data Appendix C Environmental Documentation Appendix D Air Service Study Appendix E High-Growth Forecast Table of Contents vii
List of Tables Table 2-1 Airport Operating Certification Requirements (14 CFR Part 139)... 2-3 Table 2-2 FAA Aircraft Approach Categories and Airplane Design Standards... 2-4 Table 2-3 Public Airports in the Region... 2-8 Table 2-4 Percentage Wind Coverage... 2-10 Table 2-5 Historic Based Aircraft... 2-13 Table 2-6 Summary of Air Traffic Activity... 2-14 Table 2-7 Landing Gear Configurations for Sample Aircraft... 2-16 Table 2-8 Runway 31 ILS Approach Minimums... 2-19 Table 2-9 Non-Precision Instrument Approach Minimums (VOR/GPS)... 2-20 Table 3-1 Historic Based Aircraft and Aircraft Operations... 3-2 Table 3-2 1995 Master Plan Forecasts... 3-3 Table 3-3 2002 FAA Terminal Area Forecast... 3-4 Table 3-4 2001 FAA Terminal Area Forecast... 3-5 Table 3-5 2002 Florida Aviation System Plan Forecasts... 3-5 Table 3-6 Projections of Based Aircraft... 3-9 Table 3-7 Selected Based Aircraft Forecast... 3-10 Table 3-8 FAA Projected National Active Aircraft Fleet... 3-12 Table 3-9 Projected Based Aircraft Fleet Mix at SGJ... 3-12 Table 3-10 Projections of Annual General Aviation Operations... 3-15 Table 3-11 Commercial Enplanement and Operation Forecasts... 3-17 Table 3-12 Peak Passenger Enplanement Forecasts... 3-18 Table 3-13 Total Annual Operations Forecasts... 3-18 Table 3-14 Local Versus Itinerant Operations... 3-19 Table 3-15 Projected Annual Instrument Operations... 3-19 Table 3-16 Projected Operational Fleet Mix... 3-20 Table 3-17 Forecast Peak Activity... 3-21 Table 3-18 Summary of Activity Forecasts... 3-22 Table 4-1 Hourly Runway Capacity... 4-3 Table 4-2 Annual Airfield Capacity... 4-4 Table 4-3 Annual Aircraft Delay... 4-5 Table 4-4 Summary of Airfield Capacity Analysis... 4-6 Table 5-1 FAA Aircraft Classifications... 5-3 Table 5-2 Representative GA Aircraft Operating at SGJ... 5-4 Table 5-3 Airport Reference Code for Military Aircraft... 5-5 Table 5-4 Wind Coverage Percentages for 10.5 & 13 Knot Crosswinds... 5-8 Table 5-5 FAA Runway Lengths Recommended for Airport Design... 5-9 Table 5-6 Runway Lengths Required for Business Jets at SGJ... 5-10 Table 5-7 Federal Contract Requirements for Runway Lengths... 5-11 Table 5-8 Pavement Condition Ratings... 5-13 Table 5-9 Declared Distances for Runway 13-31... 5-14 Table 5-10 Commercial Terminal Area Facility Requirements... 5-27 Table 5-11 Additional Based Aircraft Compared to Base Year... 5-31 Table 5-12 Based Aircraft Storage Requirements... 5-32 Table 5-13 Transient Aircraft Parking Space Demand... 5-33 Table of Contents viii
Table 5-14 Transient Aircraft Apron Area Requirements... 5-34 Table 5-15 Based Aircraft Apron Area Requirements... 5-34 Table 5-16 Total General Aviation Aircraft Apron Requirements... 5-35 Table 5-17 General Aviation Terminal Space... 5-36 Table 5-18 Automobile Parking Space Requirements... 5-37 Table 5-19 Summary of Facility Requirements... 5-39 Table 6-1 Estimated Costs for RSA Improvements... 6-3 Table 6-2 Comparison of Airfield Alternatives... 6-18 Table 6-3 Commercial Terminal Area Facility Requirements... 6-29 Table 8-1 Short-Term CDP (2004-2008)... 8-3 Table 8-2 Intermediate-Term CDP (2004-2008)... 8-5 Table 8-3 Long-Term CDP (2004-2008)... 8-7 Table 8-4 20-Year Capital Development Program... 8-8 Table 8-5 Schedule of Revenues and Expenses Fiscal Years 2004 to 2009... 8-13 Table 8-6 Cash Flow Analysis (FY 2004-FY 2014)... 8-15 Table of Contents ix
List of Figures Figure 2-1 Airport Location Map... 2-5 Figure 2-2 Airport Vicinity Map... 2-6 Figure 2-3 Historic St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport... 2-12 Figure 2-4 Existing Airside Facilities... 2-15 Figure 2-5 Designated Waterways... 2-24 Figure 2-6 Jacksonville Sectional Aeronautical Chart... 2-26 Figure 2-7 Existing Landside Facilities... 2-28 Figure 2-8 Existing Environmental Conditions... 2-33 Figure 3-1 Comparison of Based Aircraft Projections... 3-10 Figure 3-2 Comparison of Aircraft Fleet Mix Projections... 3-13 Figure 3-3 Comparison of Annual General Aviation Aircraft Operations Projections... 3-16 Figure 4-1 Optimum Taxiway Ranges... 4-2 Figure 4-2 Capacity Level Comparison... 4-4 Figure 5-1 Runway 2-20 OFA Conflicts... 5-17 Figure 5-2 Seaplane Base Clearance Conflicts... 5-30 Figure 6-1 Initial Airfield Improvements... 6-6 Figure 6-2 Airfield Alternative A... 6-7 Figure 6-3 Airfield Alternative B... 6-10 Figure 6-4 Airfield Alternative C... 6-12 Figure 6-5 Airfield Alternative D... 6-14 Figure 6-6 Airfield Alternative E... 6-16 Figure 6-7 Recommended Airfield Development... 6-19 Figure 6-8 North GA Alternative A... 6-21 Figure 6-9 North GA Alternative B... 6-22 Figure 6-10 South GA Area Alternative A... 6-24 Figure 6-11 South GA Area Alternative B... 6-26 Figure 6-12 South GA Area Alternative C... 6-28 Figure 6-13 Preferred South GA Development... 6-30 Figure 6-14 ATCT Site Alternatives... 6-33 Figure 6-15 Seaplane Site Alternatives... 6-36 Table of Contents x
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTIION In late 2003, the St. Augustine - St. Johns County Airport Authority undertook an update to the St. Augustine - St. Johns County Airport (SGJ) Master Plan, which was completed in 1995. The need for this update was really twofold. The primary reason being the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires airports receiving development grants to conduct periodic updates to the airport s future development plan. Secondly, over the past eight years many changes have occurred in areas surrounding the airport as well as in the aviation industry; therefore, changing the demands placed upon the airport. The airport s master plan serves a variety of functions, including projecting future aviation activity, being a tool for financial planning, and guiding adjacent land uses. Consequently, the primary objective of this master plan update was to create a 20-year development program that would maintain a safe, efficient, economical, and environmentally acceptable airport facility for the Airport Authority, the City of St. Augustine, and St. Johns County. By achieving this objective, the document should provide guidance to satisfy the aviation demand in a financially feasible and responsible manner, while at the same time addressing the aviation, environmental, and socioeconomic issues of the community. In support of this goal, the following objectives were considered: Identifying the needed airside, landside, and airspace improvements and recommend options to further optimize the economic aspects of the airport while enhancing the safety and operational capability; Establishing an implementation schedule for short-, intermediate-, and long-term improvements and insure that they are financially feasible; Identifying short-term requirements and recommend actions to optimize short-term funding opportunities; Insuring that short-term actions and recommendations do not preclude long-range planning options; Incorporating the interests of the public and government agencies into the planning process; Remaining sensitive to the overall environmental characteristics and needs of the area surrounding the airport; and Incorporating current comprehensive land use (both on- and off-airport property) and recommend developments that are compatible with existing and future land uses. As suggested by the above listing, the airport does not exist in a static environment, but rather within the context of a larger community. As such, any future developments identified by this study consider potential community impacts. Multiple opportunities were available for community and governmental representatives to participate in this study, including through representatives serving on the study s technical advisory committee and through two community workshop/public meetings. Additionally, the Airport Authority was briefed regularly in an open public forum, allowing for public comments on the presented study information. It is important to note that the study results and the future developments presented in this report represent a plan to guide the Airport Authority in meeting demands as they develop; therefore, no development is suggested until there is a clearly identified need for it. Introduction 1 1
KEY ISSUES Overall, this master plan provides a comprehensive overview of the airport s needs over the next 20 years, including issues related to the timing of proposed development, costs for this development, methods of financing, management options, and a clear plan of action. Prior to the start of this master plan update, there were a number of key issues identified by the Airport Authority, requiring attention, including: The limited developable land within the airport s boundaries given the configuration of existing facilities; The likely need to acquire additional property to support future developments; The possibility of developing a multi-modal facility to serve all airport users and that takes advantage of the airport s proximity to U.S. 1 and the Florida East Coast Railway; The potential for the initiation of commercial passenger service at SGJ; The need to address existing and future security requirements both landside and airside given that the airport is bordered by the Tolomato River; and The determination of whether to expand airport facilities west of U.S. 1 as shown by the previous master plan. PROCESS This master plan update provides a systematic outline of the development actions required to maintain and further develop airfield and landside facilities. This process provides the officials responsible for the scheduling, budgeting, and ultimate funding of airport improvement projects with an advance notice of the future needs of the airport. By phasing the airport improvements, the development can be conducted in an orderly and timely fashion. This airport master plan update for SGJ was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the FAA, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and the needs of the St. Augustine - St. Johns County Airport Authority. All portions of this document are based on the criteria set forth in the FAA Advisory Circulars (AC) 150/5070-6A, Airport Master Plans, and AC 150/5300-13, Change 7, Airport Design. To accomplish the objectives identified, the study has included the following tasks: Conducting an inventory of the existing documents related to the airport, the physical airport facilities, the demographics of the airport service area, and the airport environment; Collecting historical operational data, conduct tenant interviews, and forecast aviation activity through the year 2023; Evaluating and comparing the airfield capacity to the expected aviation activity; Determining the airport facilities required to meet the forecast demand; Developing and evaluating alternative methods to meet the facility requirements of the airfield; Creating a concise Airport Layout Plan (ALP) drawing set reflecting the proposed improvements through the year 2023; and Introduction 1 1
Compiling a schedule of the proposed improvements to include the cost estimates, phasing, and financial feasibility of each. Throughout this process, reviews of this master plan report were conducted at key points such as at the completion of the forecasts and during the development of the alternatives. This ensured that input was received from key stakeholders, such as the Airport Authority, FAA, and FDOT. The individual report chapters provide a detailed explanation of these key steps. It should be noted that each step in the master plan process built upon information and decisions made during previous steps. Taken as a whole they address the key issues identified above and show how the study objective was met. Introduction 1 1
Inventory of Existing Conditions
CHAPTER TWO INVENTORY OF EXIISTIING CONDIITIIONS The master plan update for St. Augustine - St. Johns County Airport (SGJ) requires the collection and evaluation of information relating to the airport. As such, information related to SGJ was collected in order to help identify unique attributes that define the airport and potential contribution to the community. Data collected will provide an inventory of the following: Existing physical facilities: runways, taxiways, parking aprons, navigational aids, and facility areas for general aviation (GA), corporate, and airport support. The airport s role in the City of St. Augustine and St. Johns County: development history, location, and access relationship to other transportation modes. The community s population, socioeconomic, and business trends within the airport s potential service area, including the Jacksonville Metropolitan Statistical Area defined as Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns Counties. This information provides an indication of potential trends that can have a direct bearing upon the level and type of aviation services that the airport needs to plan for in the future. A review of the existing airport, community, and regional plans and studies that contain information that may relate to the development and eventual implementation of the recommendations of the master plan update for SGJ. This information is particularly relevant to future acquisition of property located near the airport. An inventory addressing these and other issues requires data from a variety of sources in order to obtain an accurate depiction of SGJ and its surrounding community, including: Interviews with SGJ management and staff; Interviews with SGJ users and tenants; Contacts with local, state, and federal agencies; Research and review of previous airport planning analyses and studies; Review of aerial photography, mapping, and airport and terminal plans; Review of facility directories, approach plates, sectional charts, etc.; Review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Contract Tower (FCT) information relating to air traffic activity and peaking characteristics, as well as airfield usage; Reference materials, such as FAA publications, activity data sites, and planning guidelines; and Review of SGJ and FAA statistical reports. FAA CERTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION Although SGJ is owned and operated by the St. Augustine - St. Johns County Airport Authority, the authority to do so is granted to them by the FAA. Many of the parameters that will dictate future developmental needs at SGJ are based upon FAA guidelines for airport and aircraft operation. Adherence to these parameters is a requirement for the continued operation of the airport. The following brief sections review the operating certification requirements and FAA classifications of SGJ. Inventory 2-1
FAR Part 139 Certification In April 2004, the FAA recently issued a final rule that revises the Federal airport certification regulation (Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 139 (14 CFR Part 139] and establishes certification requirements for airports serving scheduled air carrier operations in aircraft designed for more than 9 passenger seats but less than 31 passenger seats. In addition, this final rule amends a section of an air carrier operation regulation (14 CFR Part 121) so it conforms with changes to airport certification requirements. The final rule: Revises outdated safety requirements and incorporates existing industry practices. Clarifies existing requirements. Responds to National Transportation Safety Board recommendations. Requires certification of airports not currently certificated that serve scheduled air carrier operations conducted in aircraft with more than nine (9) passenger seats but less than 31 passenger seats. Revises the existing airport certification process to incorporate all airports covered by the authorizing statute, including those serving scheduled, smaller air carrier aircraft (10 to 30 seats). Under this changed certification process, the FAA is reclassifying airports into four new classes (Class I, II, III and IV) based on the type of air carrier operations served. SGJ previously held a Limited Airport Operating Certificate (AOC) since they serve unscheduled operations of large air carrier aircraft. As a result, SGJ under the new 14 CFR Part 139 is designated as a Class IV Airport. Class IV airport are those airports that serve only unscheduled operations of large air carrier aircraft. Air carrier operations are so infrequent at Class IV airports that, in the past, the FAA only required them to comply with some Part 139 requirements. This continues to be the case, but new operational requirements have been added along with modifications to the airport certification process and other administrative changes. Table 2-1, outlines the changes from the previous Part 139 requirements to those now required for Class IV airports under the revised Part 139: Inventory 2-2
TABLE 2-1 AIRPORT OPERATING CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS (14 CFR PART 139) Previous Part 139 Requirements Revised Part 139 Requirements Personnel provisions ( 139.303) A recordkeeping system and new personnel training standards and clarification of use of a designee to comply with Part 139 Paved and unpaved surfaces ( 139.305 and.307) Clarification of requirement to repair pavement cracks Safety areas ( 139.309) Clarification of safety area definition (see 139.3) Marking, lighting and signs ( 139.311) Clarification of requirement to mark pavement edges and new requirement for sign plan (see 139.203(b)(13)) ARFF (negotiated standard) New personnel training, fire extinguishing agent, and HAZMAT response standards; elimination of older ARFF vehicle exception; and clarification of Index criteria. Also, extends ARFF coverage to scheduled operations of small air carrier aircraft (per 139.315,.317 and.319). HAZMAT handling/storage (negotiated standard) Standards for air carrier fueling operations, and additional fuel fire safety and personnel training standards (per 139.321) Traffic/wind indicators (negotiated standard) New supplemental wind cone/segmented circle standards (per 139.323) New requirement for Airport Emergency Plan but no triennial exercise required (per 139.325) Self-inspections (negotiated standard) New training requirement to comply with self Airport condition reporting ( 139.339) inspection requirements (per 139.327) New notification standard New requirements to mark and light obstructions (per 139.331) Source: Certification of Airports with Civilian and Military Operations, April 2004, Federal Aviation Administration FAA Classification The airport is included within the National Plan of Integrated Airport System (NPIAS), which is published by the U.S. Department of Transportation. In the NPIAS, the FAA establishes the role of those public airports defined as essential to meet the needs of civil aviation. Additionally, the role for each airport is defined in the NPIAS by one of five basic service levels. These levels describe the type of service that the airport is expected to provide the community at the end of the NPIAS five-year planning period. It also represents the funding categories set up by Congress to assist in airport development. SGJ is designated as a reliever airport for Jacksonville International Airport (located approximately 55 miles to the north) based on data collected and transmitted to Congress by the Secretary of Transportation for the 2001-2005 planning period. The NPIAS currently lists 228 total airports that fall into the reliever airport category. For the purposes of planning appropriate facilities, the FAA classifies aircraft by two key characteristics approach speed and wingspan. The Aircraft Approach Category, ranging from A to E, signifies the approach speed; whereas the Airplane Design Group, with values between I to VI, indicating the wingspan. These classifications are summarized in Table 2-2. The FAA uses these two classifications as the basis of the Airport Reference Code (ARC), which signifies the most demanding aircraft type expected to use a facility on a regular basis. The ARC is stated in the following manner: Aircraft Approach Category Airplane Design Group (as shown by a Boeing 737-300 having an ARC of C-III). The ARC is used to relate the airport design criteria to the operational and physical characteristics of the aircraft intended to operate at the airport or on a designated airfield area. FAA Advisory Circular (AC) Inventory 2-3
150/5300-13, Change 8, Airport Design, contains minimum standards for designing airport facilities based upon the ARC associated with an airfield facility. Based and itinerant aircraft at SGJ range from Aircraft Approach Category A and Airplane Design Group I, to Aircraft Approach Category D and Airplane Design Group IV. TABLE 2-2 FAA AIRCRAFT APPROACH CATEGORIES AND AIRPLANE DESIGN STANDARDS Aircraft Approach Category A B C D E Approach Speed Speed less than 91 knots Speed 91 knots to less than 121 knots Speed 121 knots less than 141 knots Speed 141 less than 166 knots Speed 166 knots or more Airplane Design Group Wingspan I 49 feet and less II 49 feet up to but not including 79 feet III 79 feet up to but not including 118 feet IV 118 feet up to but not including 171 feet V 171 feet up to but not including 214 feet VI 214 feet up to but not including 262 feet Source: FAA AC 150/5300-13, Change 8, Airport Design. These standards will be utilized in developing future development needs during the master planning process, mainly during the demand/capacity analysis. A complete discussion on the ARC for SGJ will be included in the chapter on Facility Requirements. AIRPORT SETTING SGJ is located in St. Johns County, Florida, approximately four miles north of the City of St. Augustine. The airport is owned and operated by the St. Augustine - St. Johns County Airport Authority. SGJ serves the general aviation and the economic development needs of the City of St. Augustine, St. Johns County, and the northeast Florida region, including the Jacksonville area. As such, the facilities that make up the airport serve as one of the many contributors to general aviation activity including a significant number of corporate/business activity and flight training operations. Figure 2-1, a general location map of the airport, depicts where SGJ is situated within the State of Florida. Locale The airport includes 668 acres of land located within St. Johns County and near the City of St. Augustine. The airport is enclosed by Hawkeye View Lane to the north, the Tolomato River to the east, Estrella Avenue to the south, and U.S. Highway 1 to the west. SGJ is also situated 37 miles from the Jacksonville Port, which is the largest deep-water port in the South Atlantic. The airport is located in close proximity to several key Florida transportation routes. I-95 is the major north-south corridor along the eastern coastline, and runs through the heart of St. Johns County. I-95 is located approximately seven miles west of the airport. Just 30 miles north, I-95 intersects with I-10, which runs from Jacksonville to Los Angeles. U.S. Highway 1 runs through the county and serves as the major north-south access to SGJ. Other local state roads (SR 206, SR 207, and SR 16) run east to west and provide access to markets in the central Florida region. Figure 2-2 depicts the existing location and vicinity of the airport and ground access in the immediate environs. Inventory 2-4
*** Insert Figure 2-1 (Location Map)*** Inventory 2-5
***Insert Figure 2-2 (Vicinity Map)*** Inventory 2-6
SGJ is also part of the Northeast Florida Metropolitan Area in the Continuing Florida Aviation System Planning Process (CFASPP), which consists of the following six counties: Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns. There are 12 public-use airports located within the Northeast Florida Metropolitan Area. These airports are classified in the NPIAS as commercial, general aviation, reliever, and military. The only commercial service airport within this system is Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). Military airfields include Naval Air Station Mayport (NRB), Jacksonville Naval Air Station (NIP), and Outlying Field Whitehouse (NEN). In addition, eight public-use general aviation airports lie within 40 nautical miles of SGJ. These include Cecil Field Airport (VQQ), Craig Municipal Airport (CRG), Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport (55J), Herlong Airport (HEG), Hilliard Airpark (01J), Kay Larkin Municipal Airport (28J), and Keystone Airpark (42J). SGJ is one of the four general aviation reliever facilities for JAX. Table 2-3 provides a comparison of the facilities and basic services offered by these public use airports. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS Because weather plays such an important role in the operation of aircraft, it must be considered in a number of different airfield design parameters. As such, information obtained regarding the St. Augustine area s climate and wind characteristics is presented in the following sections. Climate SGJ has an elevation of 10 feet above mean sea level and is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Intercoastal Waterway (Tolomato River). As with most of Florida s east coast, the surrounding land is relatively flat. The maritime location and prevailing easterly sea breeze significantly influence the climate of this region. Although the airport is located in the warmer southeastern portion of the nation, annual temperatures are considered moderate due to the influence of the sea breeze. Temperatures during the summer months rarely reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average maximum temperature of 89 degrees Fahrenheit for the month of July. During the winter months, the average minimum temperature is around 47 degrees Fahrenheit with record lows in the teens. Rainfall in this area occurs during all seasons; however, it is more abundant during the summer when daily showers are common. According to data provided by the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, the county experiences an average annual number of 116 rainy days and an average annual number of 132 sunny days. The county averages approximately 53 inches of rainfall on an annual basis. Wind Coverage Historical wind conditions were evaluated to determine the percentage of wind coverage at SGJ. This element is important since aircraft takeoff and land into the wind. The FAA recommends that sufficient runways be provided to achieve 95 percent wind coverage. The 95 percent wind coverage is computed based on the crosswind not exceeding 10.5-knots (12 mph) for the smallest aircraft with ARCs of A-1 and B-I; 13-knots (15 mph) for ARC A-II and B-II; 16-knot (18 mph) for ARC A-III, B-III and C-I through D-III; and 20 knots (23 mph) for ARC A-IV through D-VI. If 95 percent wind coverage is not provided at an airport for the maximum crosswind component for the critical aircraft, then the addition of a crosswind runway should be considered. Inventory 2-7
TABLE 2-3 PUBLIC AIRPORTS IN THE REGION Runways Published Instrument Approach Procedures General Aviation Services Offered Cecil Field Airport (VQQ) 9L-27R (8,000 x 200 ) GPS Runway 18L, 36R, 9R and 27L Fuel 100LL and Jet A 9R-27L (8,000 x 200 ) ILS Runway 36R Major Airframe and Powerplant Repair 18L-36R (12,500 x 200 ) VOR Runway 9R 18R-36L (8,000 x 200 ) Craig Municipal Airport (CRG) 5-23 (4,004 x 100 ) ILS/GPS/VOR/DME Runway 32 Fuel 100LL and Jet A 14-32 (3,998 x 100 ) VOR/GPS Runway 14 Major Airframe and Powerplant Repair Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport (55J) 4-22 (5,300 x 100 ) GPS Runway 13 Fuel 100LL and Jet A 8-26 (4,999 x 150 ) Major Airframe and Powerplant Repair 13-31 (5,152 x 100 ) 18-36 (3,580 x 150 ) Herlong Airport (HEG) 7-25 (4,000 x 100 ) GPS Runway 25 Fuel 100LL and Jet A 11-29 (3,500 x100 ) NDB All Runways Major Airframe and Powerplant Repair Hilliard Airpark (01J) 18-36 (3,365 x 125 ) None None Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) 7-25 (10,000 x 150 ) ILS Runway 13, 7, and 25 Fuel 100LL and Jet A 13-31 (7,701 x 150 ) RNAV/GPS Runway 13 and 25 Major Airframe and Powerplant Repair NDB/RNAV/GPS/VOR Runway 31 CAT II and III Runway 7 NDB/RNAV/GPS Runway 7 Kay Larkin Airport (28J) 9-27 (5,500 x 100 ) NDB/GPS Runway 9 Fuel 100LL and Jet A 12-30 (3,000 x 75 ) Major Airframe and Powerplant Repair 17-35 (3,500 x 75 ) Keystone Airpark (42J) 4-22 (5,044 x 100 ) GPS/VOR/DME Runway 4 Fuel 100LL 10-28 (4,899 x 75 ) Major Airframe and Powerplant Repair St. Augustine Airport (SGJ) 2-20 (2,614 x 75 ) VOR/GPS Runway 13 and 31 Fuel 100LL and Jet A 6-24 (2,701 x 60 ) ILS Runway 31 Major Airframe and Powerplant Repair 13-31 (7,996 x 150 ) Note: Please see Appendix A for an explanation of common aviation acronyms used in this table. Source: FAA, Southeast U.S. Airport/Facility Directory and Southeast U.S. Terminal Procedures, September 4, 2003. FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5300-13, Change 8, Airport Design expresses that a period of at least ten consecutive years of onsite wind data should be examined when carrying out an airfield wind coverage evaluation. If onsite data is not available, it is recommended that composite data from two nearby airports be utilized in the wind Inventory 2-8
coverage analysis. Wind data is available from the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), located in Asheville, North Carolina, which officially records all aviation meteorological information. Wind coverage percentages should also take into account the weather minimums associated with the approved approaches for each runway. Therefore, all-weather, visual flight rule (VFR), instrument flight rule (IFR), and below minimum conditions data should be analyzed. At the time of this wind coverage analysis, the NCDC reported having onsite wind data at SGJ for the period of January 1997 through July 2003. This equates to approximately 6.5 years; thus, falling short of the FAA guidance for having 10 full years of hourly wind observations. FAA guidance recommends using wind data from two nearby airports; however, since onsite data was available for a majority of the 10-years, it was considered the most reasonable approach to use this data in conjunction with another source since the onsite information most accurately reflects wind conditions at SGJ. Therefore, an alternate site was selected to use in addition to the 6.5 years of onsite data from SGJ. In selecting this alternate site, it was determined that the NCDC had data available to cover the selected 10-year period of August 1993 through July 2003 for Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) and the Jacksonville Naval Air Station (NIP). DAB was selected since it is located closer to the eastern seaboard than NIP, which is located much further inland along the St. Johns River. To confirm that DAB experienced similar wind patterns, wind analysis was completed for the individual data sets using Airport Design, Version 4.2D. This analysis was completed for the individual runway orientations at SGJ as well as combinations of them. This review showed that for crosswind speeds greater than 13-knots the data yielded wind coverages within one percent; however, slight differences were noted at a crosswind of 10.5-knots. The largest difference identified was approximately 6.5 percent. Consequently, a conclusion was drawn that wind conditions at DAB were comparable to those at SGJ. Given these preliminary results, the hourly wind counts (for each of the applicable weather periods) from both DAB and SGJ were added together. This composite data was utilized to recalculate the applicable wind coverage percentages. This information is presented in Table 2-4 on the next page. For the individual runways, wind coverages are only included for the crosswind speed associated with the approach category and airplane design group that the runway was designed to accommodate. A review of this information shows that, for a 10.5-knot crosswind, no single runway provides the requisite 95 percent coverage under all-weather, IFR, or VFR conditions. However, a combination of the Runway 13-31, considered the primary use runway, with either one of the two crosswind runways, 2-20 or 6-24, yields the requisite wind coverage at this crosswind speed. All other wind coverage percentages exceed the minimum. Inventory 2-9
TABLE 2-4 PERCENTAGE WIND COVERAGE Airfield Configuration 10.5-knots (12 mph) Crosswind Component 13-knots (15 mph) 16-knots (18.4 mph) 20-knots (23 mph) All-Weather Conditions Runway 13-31 90.75% 95.12% 98.94% 99.81% Runway 2-20 93.09% Not Required Not Required Not Required Runway 6-24 94.34% 97.42% Not Required Not Required Runways 13-31/2-20 98.01% 99.58% 99.90% 99.99% Runways 13-31/6-24 98.27% 99.59% 99.91% 99.98% All Runways 99.92% 99.98% 100.00% 100.00% VFR Conditions (Ceiling > 1000 feet; Visibility > 3 statute miles) Runway 13-31 90.63% 95.06% 98.96% 99.84% Runway 2-20 92.97% 96.59% Not Required Not Required Runway 6-24 94.52% 97.53% Not Required Not Required Runways 13-31/2-20 97.98% 99.60% 99.91% 99.99% Runways 13-31/6-24 98.33% 99.61% 99.92% 99.99% All Runways 99.93% 99.99% 100.00% 100.00% IFR Conditions (Ceiling between 250' and 1000'; Visibility between 0.75 and 3.0 statute miles) Runway 13-31 91.23% 95.87% 98.77% 99.51% Runway 2-20 94.43% 97.21% Not Required Not Required Runway 6-24 89.34% 94.62% Not Required Not Required Runways 13-31/2-20 98.36% 99.44% 99.82% 99.97% Runways 13-31/6-24 96.14% 99.17% 99.72% 99.88% All Runways 99.64% 99.88% 99.98% 100.00% Source: National Climatic Data Center: DAB-August 1993 to July 2003 and SGJ-January 1997 to July 2003. HISTORIC DATA A number of different sources were utilized to collect historical data related to activities at the airport. This included reviewing the history of the airport and previous studies conducted for the airport, as well as FAA records for historic aircraft and operations. Appendix B includes historical socioeconomic data for the SGJ area as well as future projected levels for several key socioeconomic indicators. Airport History Aviation activities began in the St. Augustine area within twenty years of the Wright brothers first flight. Leased facilities were used until the 1930s when the St. Augustine City Commission purchased the initial segments of the current airport location, north of Araquay Park along U.S. Highway 1. This site has undergone many improvements since its early beginnings, with many occurring during World War II. As with many other airports, SGJ was taken over by the federal government during the years of the war for support of naval aviation activities. Upon the war s end, the facility reverted to city control. For several years, the airport experienced a growth in aviation activity including airmail and commercial passenger air service. This activity, however, was short lived; by 1950, the city had closed the airport due to a lack of aviation activity. Inventory 2-10
The airport reopened a few years later in 1954 when Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation opened an onsite facility. In support of Fairchild s activities, the primary runway, 13-31, was extended to its current length of approximately 8,000 feet. The city commission gave up control of the airport in 1964 when a special purpose governmental authority was created by state legislation and approved by local voters. At the time, it was named the St. Augustine Airport Authority, but the name has subsequently been changed to the St. Augustine St. Johns County Airport Authority. The airport has undergone many changes since these early years, including property expansions, the closure of the Fairchild facility, the opening of Northrop Grumman, and the addition of a variety of hangar facilities. Throughout SGJ s history, multiple aviation support companies have operated from the airport, including several fixed-base operators and aircraft repair companies. Recent developments at the airport involve the construction of a new general aviation terminal, an air traffic control tower, and several new corporate hangars. The airport currently has 100 hangars and over 300 based aircraft. Figure 2-3 shows several historical images of the St. Augustine Airport since it began operating. Previous Planning Documents It is important to review previous planning documents completed for the airport to understand and incorporate past planning efforts. The following planning documents were obtained from the airport and other agencies during the inventory: 2002 Draft Environmental Assessment for the Taxiway B Extension at St. Augustine Airport, Earth Tech Consulting, Inc. 2002 St. Augustine Airport Seaplane Feasibility Study, Earth Tech Consulting, Inc. 2002-2013 Aerospace Forecasts, Federal Aviation Administration 2002 Terminal Area Forecast (TAF), Federal Aviation Administration 2001 St. Augustine - St. Johns County Multi-Modal Transportation Center Study, Earth Tech Consulting, Inc. 2001-2005 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, Federal Aviation Administration 2000 Florida Aviation System Plan (FASP), Florida Department of Transportation 1999 New Air Traffic Control Tower Feasibility Study, ICF Kaiser Engineers, Inc. 1995 Airport, Reynolds, Smith and Hills, Inc. Inventory 2-11
*** Figure 2-3 Historical Airport*** Inventory 2-12
These prior studies were prepared by others for the St. Augustine Airport Authority and were utilized as informational documents during the preparation of this master plan update. These documents were reviewed for historic data and significant insight into past long-range planning processes for SGJ. Historic Aircraft and Activity Counts The historic number of based aircraft and operations at SGJ is essential to the development of forecasts for future aviation activity. This information, along with industry trends and select socioeconomic factors, will be evaluated for the planning period of the study to assist in the development of forecasts. Available sources of historic information were included the 1995, FAA Airport Master Records (Form 5010), FAA Terminal Area Forecast (TAF), and the Florida Aviation System Plan (FASP). However, the best source of historic based aircraft and aircraft operations information for SGJ was determined to be the FAA TAF. Based Aircraft Historic based aircraft information for SGJ is contained in the annual FAA 5010 forms, FAA TAF, and FASP. The counts are separated into the different types of aircraft based at the airport in the FAA TAF and FAA 5010 forms. Typically, the aircraft are divided into the categories of single-engine, multi-engine, jet, and rotorcraft. This information will help determine future airfield requirements for the airport. The total number of based aircraft was obtained from the FASP, and Table 2-5 presents the summary information for the past ten years. More detailed information will be presented in the Aviation Activity Forecasts chapter. TABLE 2-5 HISTORIC BASED AIRCRAFT Year Total Aircraft Operations 1992 284 1993 284 1994 284 1995 284 1996 290 1997 290 1998 300 1999 296 2000 320 2001 321 Overall Growth Rate 13.02% Average Annual Growth rate 1.37% Source: FDOT, Florida Aviation System Plan, 2002. An aircraft operation is counted as either one landing or one takeoff. Further, a touch and go operation is counted as two operations, since the aircraft technically lands and immediately takes off. Generally, there are two types of recorded aircraft operations: local and itinerant. According to the FAA definition, local operations are those arrivals or departures performed by aircraft that remain in the airport traffic pattern or are within sight of the airport. This generally covers an area within a 20-nautical mile radius of the airfield. Inventory 2-13
Itinerant operations are arrivals or departures other than local operations performed by either based or transient aircraft. Table 2-6 provides a summary of the total number of aircraft operations recorded at SGJ over the ten-year period of 1992 through 2001. This data was obtained from the FASP since the Federal Contract Tower (FCT) did not open until October 2002. Table 2-6 SUMMARY OF AIR TRAFFIC ACTIVITY Year Annual Operations AIRFIELD ENVIRONMENT 1992 90,000 1993 90,000 1994 104,000 1995 104,000 1996 104,000 1997 130,000 1998 137,328 1999 137,310 2000 140,000 2001 143,800 Overall Growth Rate 59.78% Average Annual Growth Rate 5.34% Source: FDOT, Florida Aviation System Plan, 2002. This section presents a description of the existing airside facilities at the airport. The description of the following facilities provides the basis for the airfield demand/capacity analysis and the determination of facility requirements to be presented in subsequent chapters. The airside facilities generally include those required to support the movement and operation of aircraft. While this most certainly involves the airport s runways and taxiways, it also includes the available instrument approaches; airfield lighting; pavement markings; takeoff and landing aids; and airfield signage. The current physical airside facilities at SGJ are depicted in Figure 2-4. Table 2-7 provides examples of some of the more popular general aviation, business/corporate, and commercial service aircraft, with their main gear and maximum gross weight configurations. This table is only included to illustrate the various types of aircraft flying today. It does not imply that such aircraft will necessarily use the facilities at SGJ. The aircraft expected to utilize SGJ during the planning period will be addressed in the Facility Requirements chapter. In addition to the physical characteristics of the runway, there are other safety-related criteria. These criteria are defined not only in FAA AC 150/5300-13, Change 8, but also by Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 77, Objects Affecting Navigable Airspace. While there are various imaginary surfaces associated with each runway, the criteria for each will be discussed in later sections. Details pertaining to the requirements for a Runway Safety Area (RSA), Runway Object Free Area (ROFA), and Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) will be addressed as part of the facility requirements determination, while the FAR Part 77 surfaces will be included in the text associated with the Airport Layout Plan set. Inventory 2-14
***Insert Figure 2-4 (Current Airport Configuration)*** WILL BE COMPLETED UPON RECEIPT OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY Inventory 2-15
Runway 13-31 TABLE 2-7 LANDING GEAR CONFIGURATIONS FOR SAMPLE AIRCRAFT Aircraft Type Gear Configuration Maximum Allowable Takeoff Weight (pounds) Small General Aviation Beech Bonanza Single 3,400 Cessna 172 Single 2,300 Cessna 310 Single 5,100 Piper Cherokee Single 2,600 Piper Navajo Single 6,200 Business/Corporate Beech King Air 100 Dual 10,600 Cessna Citation III Single 22,200 Gulfstream IV Dual 74,600 Gulfstream V Dual 90,500 Lear 55 Dual 21,500 Saberliner 65 Single 24,000 Commercial Airbus 320 Dual 145,500 Boeing 727-200 Dual 172,000 Boeing 737-300 Dual 124,500 Boeing 757-200 Dual Tandem 220,000 Boeing 767-300 Dual Tandem 345,000 Canadair Regional Jet Dual 53,000 Douglas MD-11 Dual Tandem 602,500 Douglas MD-88 Dual 149,500 EMB-120 Brasilia Dual 11,500 L-1011-500 Dual Tandem 496,000 Source: FAA AC 150/5300-13, Change 8, Airport Design. The primary runway, Runway 13-31, is 7,996 feet in length and 150 feet in width, as published in the Airport Facility Directory, dated September 4, 2003. Runway 13 is presently marked with a displaced threshold of 1,058 feet and Runway 31 with a displaced threshold of 800 feet. The runway length available for landing on Runway 13 is 6,938 feet and for Runway 31 is 7,196 feet. Due to the close proximity of U.S. 1 to Runway 13 and the river at the approach end of Runway 31, the displaced thresholds were necessary to accommodate the required runway safety areas (1,000 feet long x 500 feet wide) on both ends of the runway. The runway is of asphalt construction, and is reported to be in good condition. The Airport Facility Directory reports Runway 13-31 is currently rated to accommodate aircraft with single wheel bearing capacity of 60,000 pounds, dual wheel of 120,000 pounds, and dual tandem wheel of 160,000 pounds. The runway was overlaid in 1992, and has an unpublished bearing capacity of 400,000 lbs. for dual tandem wheeled aircraft. Runway 13-31 is also equipped with an aircraft arresting gear system, which is used by Northrop Grumman Corporation in support of their various military contracts. Inventory 2-16