California Airports

It costs a lot of money to keep the lights on at Sacramento International Airport. The airport’s electric bill is more than $250,000 per month and nearly $3.5 million each year. Sacramento County officials would like to see that number drop, and they think building a solar array site could help.

Currently, Sacramento County is seeking proposals to develop the site, and that includes looking for a developer or development team to design and operate the system. According to News10’s partners at the Sacramento Business Journal, there are two potential sites for the array on the north and east side of the airport property.

County approves increases in planes, passengers in six years.

· Airport curfew

• No takeoffs: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (8 a.m. Sundays)

• No landings: 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. (8 a.m. Sundays)

· Changes:

• Allows an additional 1 million annual passengers in 2021; could allow 12.5 million annual passengers by 2035.

• On average, adds 10 daily departures of the noisiest planes in 2021.

STOCKTON – With a $1.4 million federal grant in hand, Stockton Metropolitan Airport should start construction this month on a new aircraft parking apron next to the passenger terminal, allowing it to handle multiple airline flights at once, officials said.

Asphalt paving near the airport’s passenger gates may soften in summer’s heat and cannot bear the weight of large commercial jets. Existing small concrete pads allow the apron to accommodate only one airliner at a time.

The San Joaquin County-operated airport plans to replace the existing apron entirely with stronger concrete, but it designed the project to be built in three separate phases depending on available funds, officials said.

It’s nearly guaranteed this time, after more than 10 years in the works, the shuttering of the Rialto Municipal Airport, as officials send notice to the Federal Aviation Administration of a final shut down next week.

“We have notified the FAA that Sept. 18 is our 99 percent definitive date for closure,” said Robb Steel, assistant to Rialto’s administrator. “We expect the last group of planes to fly out this weekend.”

Two opposing measures to decide the future of Santa Monica Airport (SMO) in southern California will appear on the city ballot in November. The ballot is the latest weapon in what has become a contentious battle over the future of the airport.

Measure D stipulates that voter approval will be required before the airport can be closed or redeveloped. A second measure, LC, will allow the Santa Monica City Council to make decisions about closing the airport and redevelopment without voter approval.

Columbia, CA – The County has hired Benedict Stuth as the new Tuolumne County Airport Manager. Deputy County Administrator Daniel Richardson says, “We are so excited to have Benedict Stuth on, he is a pleasure to work with. I think the community will enjoy working with him as they get to know him, his enthusiasm is infectious.”

Richardson says Stuth has expressed a strong desire to engage with community partners such as the Tuolumne County Visitor’s Bureau and the Columbia Chamber of Commerce to help expand airport economic development opportunities. The annual Father’s Day Fly-In in June is one of the popular county events held at Columbia Airport.

RSA Project Update:
September 16, 2014

Weather Affects Flights at Monterey Regional Airport:

Some flights into and out of Monterey Regional Airport are being affected by weather, specifically the low fog layer. Since some flights could not arrive at the Airport on the foggy nights, there was no airplane on the ground for the early morning flights departing Monterey the next day. There were a number of flights that were delayed as well, but eventually were able to arrive at the Airport.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Officials ordered people in about 30 homes to evacuate Friday evening as a wildfire roared through a canyon in Southern California’s Cleveland National Forest.

The homes were at the bottom of Silverado Canyon, where a fire that erupted earlier in the day had burned through 2 square miles of drought-dried brush in the midst of a heat wave. No residences were immediately threatened, and the evacuation was precautionary, fire officials said. (Check out the pictures)

Under Federal law, airport operators that have accepted federal grants may use airport property only for aviation-related purposes unless otherwise approved by the FAA. Compliance inspections and audits have found that some hangars intended for aircraft storage are routinely used to store non-aeronautical items such as vehicles and large household items. Non-aviation commercial businesses have also been found operating out of hangars. These uses, unless specifically authorized by the FAA, could place the airport sponsor in violation of their federal obligations.

Final Fly-In Held As The Business Passes Into The History Books With The Airport Soon To Follow

About 100 pilots quietly held an impromptu fly-in at Rialto Airport (L67) Sunday to mark the passing of two of the industry’s institutions; Art Scholl Aviation and the airport itself.

While the airport is not yet gone, its closure is set for later this year. Judy Scholl decided to close the business this past weekend after 36 years at the airport.