NRRA NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 4, 2005
Welcome to the 68TH issue of NRRA News - an almost weekly, sometimes monthly,
occasionally quarterly, summary of events at New Richmond Regional Airport. This
newsletter is sent to approximately 245 individuals associated with NRRA.
WEB SITE ADDRESS . . . Check out the airport website at:
http://www.nrairport.com . . . .
TERMINAL FORECASTS
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) - A concise statement of the expected
meteorological conditions at an airport issued four times daily and valid for a
24 hour period. Pretty much every pilot is familiar with a TAF. Here's the good
part - we have a good chance of getting a TAF at New Richmond. An official
request was received from the pilots at Life Link III and forwarded on to the
National Weather Service Regional Headquarters. According to the National
Weather Service Operations Manual, New Richmond is eligible for a TAF. The
addition of a TAF in this area would have a significant, positive impact at
operations not only at New Richmond, but also Amery and Osceola. Minneapolis/St.
Paul International and Eau Claire are the two closest airports with TAF reports.
http://www.nrairport.com/weather.htm ,
http://www.nrairport.com/FBO/lifelinkiii.htm
HOLD ON TO THOSE MAPS
The airspace around Minneapolis is undergoing a significant change. The Class B
airspace is being expanded in several areas to accommodate the arrivals and
departures off of the recently opened runway 17-35 at MSP. Anytime the airspace
changes, aeronautical charts must be updated. The only problem here is the
charts are not done yet. The National Aeronautical Charting Office issued a memo
this week indicating the current edition of the Twin Cities and Green Bay
Sectional Charts will not expire on the date listed on the map. Green Bay was
set to expire on December 22nd and Twin Cities on January 19th. Both charts will
now expire on February 16, 2006. The same goes for the Minneapolis/St. Paul
Terminal Chart. For additional info:
http://naco.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=naco/special
FUEL PRICES
No question this summer was ugly when it came to fuel prices. Thanks to a few
hurricanes and other circumstances beyond the control of the average American,
we saw prices in the neighborhood of $3.45 per gallon for aviation fuel. Here's
the good news - things are getting back to normal. The price dropped over 70
cents since mid-September. Self-serve 100 Low Lead is now selling for $2.72 per
gallon. Jet A is still lagging behind in the price recovery but it is still a
very respectable $2.83 per gallon, which is the lowest in the entire area.
Full-service fuel is available via fuel truck for an additional $.25 per gallon.
http://www.nrairport.com/FBO/griggs.htm
STAR's
A STAR is an acronym for Standard Terminal Arrival. A STAR is an air traffic
control arrival route for instrument flight rules traffic established to
simplify clearances and facilitate transitions to instrument approach
procedures. New Richmond is served by one published STAR and, as we found out,
two unpublished STAR's. I received a few complaints from pilots who are cleared
for the ENCEE 1 STAR or the TWOLF 1 STAR, only to find they are not listed in
the GPS databases in their aircraft. They aren't published in the terminal
procedures for New Richmond, either. Interestingly enough, the Minneapolis Air
Route Traffic Control Center didn't know this. They were assigning the STAR's
and leaving pilots a bit confused. A letter was sent to the FAA Flight
Procedures Office explaining the situation. The FAA stated the problem will be
corrected - it just may take a while.
TAXIWAY LIGHTING
Twenty-three solar-powered LED taxiway lights were installed along the parallel
and connecting taxiways to runway 14-32 in late October. The lights are
replacing the retro-reflective markers that were installed when the taxiway was
constructed in late 2000. The lights need about 1 hour of sunlight per day to
operate at full strength throughout the night. The solar-powered lights are used
heavily by the US military at bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. NRRA was one of the
first few airports in the US to start using the lights.
2005 PROJECT
The hangar area construction project has drawn to a close. A hangar area on the
north end of the airport was constructed and an automatic gate operator was
installed on the security gate near the corporate hangar area. The hangar spaces
in the new area are now available for lease. The automated security gate became
operational in mid-November. The existing security codes each hangar owner
received for the north and south gate will also work on the new corporate gate.
If you are interested in leasing a hangar space, please send an e-mail to
mike@nrairport.com.
http://www.nrairport.com/pics/airport/2005_1018Image20014.JPG
SECURITY LIGHTING
New Richmond City Utilities installed nine new security lights in the north
hangar area during the past two weeks. 4 of the lights that were installed along
the two north taxilanes in the recently completed hangar area will not become
operational until additional hangars are constructed.
BLACKHAWK FLIES IN, DRIVES OUT
You may have noticed the Wisconsin National Guard Blackhawk helicopter parked on
the south aircraft parking apron at the airport for a few days in early
November. The Blackhawk was damaged in a taxiing incident. The main rotor blades
experienced a close encounter with a vent pipe that provides fresh air to the
concrete vault that houses the steel fuel tanks at Griggs Aviation. All four
rotor blades had damaged tips. The aircraft was temporarily rendered unairworthy.
A maintenance crew from the Guard Base in Madison spent 3 days removing the
rotor blades and preparing the helicopter for transport back to Madison on a
truck. There was no official estimate on the cost of the damage, but was rumored
to be over 7 figures.
http://www.nrairport.com/pics/photos.htm
EA
The comment period for the environmental assessment on upcoming airport projects
is drawing to a close on December 9th. Written comments are still being accepted
by the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics. E-mail your comments to:
gayle.stearn@dot.state.wi.us.
If you want to review a copy of the EA, please stop by my office in hangar 6-1.
AIRSHOW 2006
Next year's airshow at NRRA is planned for the 24th and 25th of June. Planning
is underway. If you are interested in helping with the planning of Airshow 2006,
please let me know.
http://www.nrairport.com/airshow2005.htm
For a listing of fly-ins around Wisconsin, go to:
http://www.dot.state.wi.us/travel/air/fly-ins.htm
Support the businesses based at NRRA.
http://www.nrairport.com/fbo.htm
Thanks!
Mike Demulling
NRRA Manager
mike@nrairport.com
Airports Mean Business!
