Acquisition could push airport facelift forward

After years of preparation and anticipation, the Carson City Airport Authority is seeking to acquire 25 acres of land to re-align the main runway.

The issue will be put before supervisors on Thursday for approval.

"We've been planning this for over five years," said Neil Weaver, chairman of the city's airport authority.

Cost of the land is $9.4 million and would be paid out over two years to its owner, John Serpa.

"It's a huge chunk for a general-aviation airport," Weaver said.

The land price is based on an appraisal done in January. Virtually all of the money will come from a Federal Aviation Administration grant that fosters airport improvements. The authority is responsible for providing 5 percent of the total, he said.

The entire airport facelift will occur over the next several years at an estimated cost of $24 million. It includes re-aligning the main runway so the flight path is directed north, 100 yards farther away from homes on Apollo Drive, adding some length to make the new runway 6,100 feet long, and a taxiway on the north side of the runway.

It will still require removing a hill that would impede pilots, according to Weaver.

Runway 9-27, the current runway, is made of asphalt, sits at an elevation of 4,697 feet, is 5,900 feet long and 75 feet wide, and runs east to west. It has been in need of repairs and is thought to be the original runway from the 1950s, according to the airport's master plan.

Land acquisition was the stated priority of the airport master plan made public last fall. The facility is located at Goni Road between Arrowhead Drive and College Parkway. It offers small aircraft pilots hangar space, tie-downs, fuel, and other services.

Other airport upgrades being planned include Global Positioning Satellite approach capability. This is another reason why the hill has to go, he said.

Also coming to the airport is automatic dependent surveillance broadcast, a cockpit-based technology that allows pilots to see precise locations and adds a greater degree of safety by showing where nearby aircraft, terrain and other obstacles are located. ADS-B is a new technology that bolsters radar capability, and provides local weather displays.

The FAA will pay for it to be available at Carson City Airport once the runway is complete. It will be the first setup of its kind on the West Coast and will benefit the region and be usable from Minden to Stead, and Fallon to Lake Tahoe. It's likely to be mounted on McClellan Peak, Weaver said.

The airport used to be controlled by the city, and the city still owns the property. The airport authority was created by the Legislature in July 1989 and is comprised of seven members, most of whom are aviation professionals appointed by the supervisors. Authority members operate, control and maintain the airport.

A Nevada Department of Transportation and University of Nevada, Reno study released last year stated that the airport contributes more than $20 million - and helps generate nearly $31 million annually - to the local economy.



• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.

If you go

WHAT: Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. today (this is a late item on the agenda)

WHERE: Sierra Room, Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.