New Richmond Regional Airport (NRRA) News #74 – a sometimes monthly, occasionally quarterly summary of events at New Richmond Regional Airport.
Lots of exciting things are happening at NRRA –
Congressman Kind Stops By, Takes Off
US Congressman Ron Kind, representing Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, was in the New Richmond area on Wednesday, August 22nd. Congressman Kind toured the nearby Spring Point diabetic research facility and then stopped by the airport. New Richmond Mayor David Schnitzler suggested he and Congressman Kind take a flight of the area and view the damage from the powerful storm that struck the area on August 13th. I flew Mayor Schnitzler, Congressman Kind, and an aide around the area for approximately 20 minutes in a 1957 Beechcraft Travel Air. Congressman Kind asked what I thought about the proposed user fees on general aviation. I told him the user fees would be devastating to airports across the country – basically they will kill general aviation. He said he was “Ready to go to battle” for us. That statement was especially impressive since he sits on the House Ways and Means Committee. The Committee is debating the merits of the proposed user fees.
Severe Storm
70+ mph straight line winds, hail and 2.5 inches of rain swept through the New Richmond area the evening of August 13th. Widespread damage to trees and some homes and out buildings was reported a few miles either side of a line from the airport traveling southeast about 6 nautical miles into Erin Prairie Township.
Damage to the north end of the airport consisted of some minor damage to a hangar or two and a large limb blocking the entrance road to the north hangar area. The south end of the airport suffered more substantial damage. A roof was partially blown off one of the hangars. Three other hangars suffered minor damage.
Airport Projects
The second phase of this year’s construction project is underway. Phase one consisted of the construction of a 1,504’ extension to the primary runway. The newly completed runway was opened on June 11th. The runway is now 5,507’. The second phase consists of the paving of a 1,504’ extension to the parallel taxiway. Monarch Paving, the general contractor for the project, paved the taxiway extension in early August. Expansion joints were installed on the new pavement along with the appropriate painting. Monarch Paving is scheduled to return this week to complete work on the shoulders of the taxiway. The taxiway should open this week.
The project will also include the removal of the existing reflective taxiway markers and solar powered LED taxiway lights and replacing them with medium intensity taxiway lights along the new and old portion of the taxiway. A lighted windsock will also be installed near the approach end of runway 14.
Instrument Approaches
Survey crews were working on and around the airport for four days in mid August conducting in depth surveys of obstacles and terrain. The surveys are an important part in the creation of precision GPS instrument approaches at the airport. The survey data was sent to the FAA instrument approach procedure development office. Once the approaches are created and published, the instrument minimums for NRRA will most likely be as low as 250’ above the ground. Current approaches have minimum altitudes in the 400’ range. The precision approaches will be published within the next 12 to 18 months.
The three existing approaches are undergoing some temporary modifications. The FAA is planning on slightly changing the two GPS approaches to NRRA by moving the various waypoints associated with the approaches. The NDB approach will also have the minimum descent altitude increased from roughly 600’ to 700’. The approaches will be published December 20th.
Rental Space
An updated listing of available heated and unheated hangar space for rent at NRRA can be found by Clicking Here.
Obstacles
You may have noticed Xcel Energy recently installed an updated set of power lines along CTH CC near the northwest side of the airport. The FAA recently discovered the new power lines penetrate protected airspace by about 11’. Xcel notified NRRA they will be making the necessary changes to the line – either lowering it or burying it.
NASCAR Aircraft
July 12th was Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day at nearby Cedar Lake Speedway. Dale, along with Sterling Marlin and Greg Biffle flew into NRRA and were transported by CLS personnel to the track. A healthy crowd gathered near the FBO in the corporate hangar area to see the drivers off at about 11 PM that evening. Pictures of Dale Jr’s Lear 60, Greg Biffle’s Falcon 20, and Sterling Marlin’s Cessna Citation II are available by Clicking Here.
Young Eagles
Local pilot and hangar owner Jon Cumpton, announced another Young Eagles event planned for NRRA on September 29th. Young Eagles is the highly successful, EAA sponsored event that provides free airplane rides to kids. For more information, Click Here.
A Few Last Things
- Approximately 12,500’ of cracks in the airport pavement were repaired last month
- Brad Olek announced New Richmond Aviation changed its name to New Richmond Aero. The business moved from the north hangar area to the corporate hangar area last month. Website
- Attention IFR Pilots . . . the en route, low altitude IFR charts are undergoing a major change. The current 28 chart format is being totally reorganized into a 36 chart layout. NRRA was previously located on chart L-10. After October 25th, NRRA can be found on charts L-12 and L-14. Charting Website for more info.
- First Place! Outstanding Amphibious Aircraft at the 2007 EAA Airventure went to local pilot Joe Birkemeyer’s Cessna 175 on a set of Baumann amphibs. Click Here for the EAA awards listing . Joe was also featured in a Milwaukee Journal article about sea planes at EAA Airventure. Click Here for the newspaper article.
- Airshow 2007 was held June 23rd and 24th. Pictures from the event, along with a listing of the sponsors, can be found by Clicking Here.
- A listing of fly-in’s in Wisconsin can be found at http://www.dot.state.wi.us/travel/air/fly-ins.htm
Thanks!
Mike Demulling, Airport Manager E-Mail
Airports Mean Business!