Photo of Runway 13/31 courtesy of Josh Flowers from
MrAviation101.
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2017 has proven to be a year of growth and exciting developments for San Marcos Regional.
The airport is now financially self-sufficient, no longer depending on transfers from the general fund for day-to-day operations. We saw existing tenants expand operations and added a Veteran flight school that has drastically increased our traffic counts and revenue to the airport. Several grant projects were completed and a few more are currently underway. Additionally, our marketing effort is underway with the development of a new airport website.
Read on for more information and a brief recap of some things you may have missed this year.
AIRPORT PROFITABILITY
Beginning this fiscal year (October 2017), for the first time ever, the City is no longer supplementing the airport with the General Fund. From the start, one of the City's top priorities for Texas Aviation Partners was to make the airport self-sufficient. Our company was founded on the concept that if you run an airport like a business and take care of the tenants and users, it can become an economic engine for the entire community. We've worked hard to cut unnecessary expenses, encourage smart investment, and set rates that are appropriate for the market.
COAST FLIGHT
With the help of the City and Greater San Marcos Partnership, TAP successfully recruited Coast Flight Training, a San Diego-based flight training company, to begin operations in San Marcos. In January 2017, Coast launched their Rotary Transition Program (RTP). The program focuses on training U.S. Military helicopter pilots who are transitioning to in-demand careers as civilian airline pilots. In 2017, 102 students completed training in San Marcos and over 300 students company-wide received a conditional offer of employment with Envoy/American Airlines, making Coast the largest supplier of pilots to the airline. Coast trains approximately 80 students at a time, maintains a staff of 27, and has a training fleet of 43 single and multi-engine aircraft in San Marcos.
Coast Flight ribbon cutting on May 19, 2017.
TRAFFIC COUNTS
Thanks in no small part to Coast Flight's training operations, we saw record operations in 2017. Using the calendar year, comparing 2016 to 2017, we experienced a 51% increase in takeoffs and landings. The increased activity reflected in these traffic counts helps us secure funding for future airport projects and improvements.
BERRY AVIATION EXPANSION
In March, City Council approved at 40 year ground lease for the construction of a maintenance facility for Berry Aviation. The $3.5M investment will include a 30,500 square foot facility consisting of a 19,200 square foot hangar and approximately 11,300 square feet of office and storage space. The addition will allow Berry to accommodate their aircraft fleet for maintenance while utilizing their existing hangar for based and transient customers.
BLUE SKIES AVIATION EXPANSION
Blue Skies Aviation expanded their services to include aircraft interiors, engine motor and power exhaust installations, and a pilot shop. To accommodate their growing business, Council approved the lease of a hangar located at 1815 Airport Drive. Blue Skies remodeled the office space and has relocated their corporate offices to the new hangar. Their existing facility will continue to be used as their aircraft maintenance facility.
RUNWAY 13/31 FRICTION RESTORATION
Upon reports of diminished breaking action of Runway 13/31 when the surface was wet, TAP and the City worked closely with TxDOT Aviation and the engineering firm for the project over the course of several months to determine a solution. In June, we were pleased to announce all friction issues had been resolved thanks to a shotblasting technique that abraded the surface and improved breaking action.
Shotblasting underway by contractor Skidabrader.
CONCRETE REPAIRS
Over the course of several months, using TxDOT RAMP grant and City funds, repairs were made to aging concrete along taxiways and the apron. TAP continues to work closely with the City, TxDOT, FAA, and elected officials to find additional funding sources for a more comprehensive repair project in the near future. In the meantime, color-coded lead in lines have been added to the ramp to help direct taxiing aircraft and funding has been doubled to accommodate more frequent sweeping of all airport pavement.
SECURITY FENCING AND GATES
A $300,000 FAA/TxDOT project to increase security at the airport was completed in September. Wrought iron fencing and five (5) gates were installed to limit unauthorized vehicles on the ramp and around taxiing aircraft, increasing safety for pilots and visitors. Additionally, the City funded two visitor parking lots outside the fence.
New security gate and fencing.
The City upgraded the airport's waterline from 8" to 12" to better accommodate the needs of existing and future tenants. The project included the realignment of of the drive to the Air Traffic Control Tower to aid in drainage and to repair failing pavement.
City Council established rates for reserved tie-downs on the ramp for users and tenants who wish to establish a specific location on the ramp for their aircraft. General parking is still available and permitted at no cost. There are 60 numbered tie-downs on the ramp, of which 36 have been reserved thus far.
Design is underway for an FAA/TxDOT funded hangar. The executive box hangar will be located at the Kilo Development Area off of Taxiway Kilo near the airport entrance. The project is expected to jump start development in the area to accommodate larger, corporate aircraft.
AIRPORT WEBSITE
As the first phase of our airport marketing and branding effort, a stand-alone website for the airport is in design. A sneak peek of the site was presented at the December Airport Advisory Board meeting. The website will be used to keep tenants and users up-to-date on current events and to provide information regarding development and leasing to prospective clients interested in the greater San Marcos region.
Preview of new stand-alone airport website.
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