TRAVERSE CITY — The Cherry Capital Airport Authority is looking to make changes to its “minimum standards” for organizations that use its runways.
They held a meeting Thursday explaining some of the issues they’re running into.
The airport said it needs these organizations to follow minimum standards on things like insurance and operational hours.
“We need standards,” said Steve Plamondon, chair of the airport authority board. ”We obviously have a lot to make sure we comply with, particularly the FAA grants that we receive. The difficult part is determining the right amount of coverage for all of our customers."
Giving Wings Flight School uses the runways at Cherry Capital Airport to offer flying lessons.
They said the proposed minimum standards from the airport authority could mean additional insurance costs in the new year
“What triggers the pollution risk? Is that an oil spill or is it a fuel spill?” said Eric Nuffer, owner of Giving Wings Aviation. “What about an airplane skidding off the runway into another airplane that’s on the taxiway? That’s real life. I think we’ve had a couple of airplanes run off the runway.”
New standards and fees were also discussed at the meeting, including a fee for special events requiring airport use
“Our second biggest (program) is young eagle flights out of giving wings,” said Bill Ross, of E.A.A. chapter 234. “For which we have to pay $200...and the impact on the airport is minimal.”
But airport leaders said the changes are necessary.
“It pays for their administrative time to go after TSA to support the change in airport security,” said Kevin Klein, ceo of the airport. “And then we have to file that. It takes time to do that. It takes multiple hours to get that completed.”
The airport is also looking to establish minimum standards for air shows, but those rules are getting pushback from the national cherry festival.
“I know this is well-intended, but the current draft would make it virtually impossible for us to conduct the air show,” said Kelli Mengebier, president of the festival foundation.
The airport authority said these proposals were still in the early draft phase and invited members of the national cherry festival to discuss the rules in full before anything is finalized.
“Those actions show the willingness to collaborate and work together on creating a great agreement that will be forward,” Mengebier said.
“Hours of operation, payment of fees, maintenance of facilities, expected levels of service, personnel qualifications, and really they’re there to impose an adequate level of safe and efficient operations that are available to the public, Klein said.”
None of these decisions were finalized at today’s meeting.
Instead, administrators will be taking the results of this public comment period to make adjustments before presenting the final draft.