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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFlying Cloud Airport Advisory Commission - 04/14/2022APPROVED MINUTES FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2022 7:00 P.M. CITY CENTER 8080 MITCHELL RD COMMISSION MEMBERS: Chair: Dan Dorson Vice Chair: Andy Kleinfehn Commissioners: Bob Barker Chilkunda Narendranath Marc Morhack Michael Lawrence (Business Representative) Blaine Peterson (Airport Manager) STUDENT MEMBERS: Alec Aldrich Max Johnson Paawan Kathuria Suchita Sah Yash Salunke Zuheb Ibrahim COMMISSION STAFF: Scott Gerber, EP Fire Chief Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary MAC STAFF: Jennifer Lewis I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Dorson called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Absent was commission member Kleinfehn and student representative Johnson. Pilot Laura Herrmann joined the meeting. a. Dorson welcomed new commission member Marc Morhack. The commission members and student representatives introduced themselves. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Barker moved, seconded by Narendranath to approve the agenda. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Lawrence moved, seconded by Narendranath to approve the minutes of the January 13, 2022 meeting as amended with the grammatical/syntax changes submitted by Lewis. Motion carried 5-0. FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION April 14, 2022 Page 2 IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS V. FOCUS TOPIC FOR THE MEETING A. AIRPORT APPEARANCE AT FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT Dorson displayed a PowerPoint with photographs of the various concerns regarding the Flying Cloud Airport. Regarding the viewing area, Peterson suggested installing two benches to watch the airplanes, one on either side of the pavilion, and sunk in cement. This could be an Eagle Scout project. Discussion on the proposed development in the area adjacent to the airport was tabled for the present. The asphalt needed replacement at Gate G, and this was often brought to Peterson’s attention. Peterson stated temporary repairs would shore up the area until the asphalt would be removed and replaced this summer, with a target date of June 2022. Dorson displayed the FlyWise Building, and Peterson stated he would tour the building the following week. Dorson displayed various outbuildings which could be made more attractive with more trees. He asked what the obstacles to that were. Peterson pointed out the airport needed snow dump areas, in some cases in the places where Dorson had suggested. Also, there were widely branched trees in those areas that attracted birds; conical- shaped trees were preferred since flocks of birds avoided those. Widely branched trees also prevented necessary snow piling in the winter. The height of trees was not so much the issue. Dorson suggested planting bushes outside the chain-link fence. Peterson suggested he speak with City staff and added that trees planted on boulevards do not do well. Dorson noted winter photographs would have helped with seeing this need. Peterson suggested he visit the area next January to see how the site was used. Also, fire hydrants further prevented plantings. Barker stated if he recalled correctly, a lot of trees had been added to the site. Dorson emphasized he would suggest plantings on the outside of the fence. Gerber noted the road outside the chain link fence might not be a City road but a county road. The bike path and easement might rest with the Park and Recreation Department of Eden Prairie, or there could be multiple jurisdictions. Dorson replied Pioneer Trail and Flying Cloud Drive were county roads or City roads. Gerber replied Old Pioneer Trail was a City road, but the rest were county roads. Dorson agreed the Park and Recreation Department had jurisdiction on the park’s side of the fence. He noted some pine trees on airport land, one of which was doing badly. FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION April 14, 2022 Page 3 Dorson displayed the Thunderbird Aviation building and noted how the moldy awning detracted from its appearance, whereas the sign and the area around the building was attractive. The awning could be discussed with the tenant. A nearby open vista gave the public opportunities for viewing but he wondered why a hangar had not been built on this section of open space. It was open due to runway use. He displayed the Elliott hangar where the paint seems to be wearing off and suggested a touch-up. Peterson stated there would be new signage and removal of the wall staining this summer. Dorson displayed the Flight School which he found attractive. It was a large display hangar. Herrmann stated it was possible to see the flight simulator moving from the road. Dorson displayed the Flying Cloud Airport blue sign and stated the area could use more landscaping and/or a modernized look. Peterson replied there was something in the works on signage. Dorson displayed Executive Aviation and stated it had an attractive sign. Another hangar near-by, the floor-to-ceiling windows on the nearby hangar needed a cleanup with more attention paid to aesthetics. VI. AIRPORT OPERATOR OF THE YEAR A. MAC PRESENTATION OF FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT OPERATOR OF 2021 Peterson announced the Operator of the Year Award for 2021, Laura Herrmann. VII. STANDING DISCUSSION ITEMS A. NOISE REPORT – MAC Lewis presented the noise report. In the first quarter of 2022 there were 1,130 complaints, a 75 percent reduction compared to 2021, coming from 34 locations. There were 165 nighttime complaints from 24 nighttime households. In 2021 there had been 4,707complaints from 39 locations. There had been 626 nighttime complaints from 24 nighttime households. In the first quarter of 2022 there were 25,375 operations and 813 nighttime operations. In 2021 there had been 14,993 operations and 427 nighttime operations. The aircraft types generating the most complaints, from most to least, were: FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION April 14, 2022 Page 4 Piston Jet Turboprop Helicopter and unknown Barker asked if this was an apples-to-apples comparison, and Lewis reminded him it was not a true comparison due to more operations being counted by the new methodology (MACNOMS) adopted in July 2021. After July 2022 the board would see a true apples-to-apples comparison. Looking at the percentages, the percentage of complaints correlated to aircraft types, showed 38 percent of the complaints were directed jet operation, which was higher than last year. 41 percent of the complaints centered around the piston engine craft. Jets did not display touch-and-go behavior, which also generated many of the complaints. Jet operations during the early morning or late-night hours caused complaints. Morhack asked for a comparison to 2020, and Lewis replied there were 771 complaints in the first quarter from 25 households. Morhack asked why there was a 75 percent decrease and Lewis replied the first part of 2020 was not hit by the pandemic, which affected aviation in March of 2020. Complaints spiked in the second, third and fourth quarters of 2020. Now people were going back to work, and she expected to see some changes in complaints. 2020-2021 also had an increase in flight training as well as residents working from home. Barker noted that activity actually picked up due to the flight schools staying open during the pandemic. Lewis explained the complaints heatmap and stated most complaints came from the northeastern section adjacent to the airport near the Olympic Hills area. She explained how one could click on the layers to activate the flight tracks which correlated with the complaints. Gerber offered paper and digital PDF copies of the noise complaint reports. B. ORDINANCE 97 Operations: in January of 2022 there were 7,714 operations, down from the previous year which had almost 9,000. In February there were 6,864 operations, and in March there were 10,480 operations. There were 25,058 operations for the first quarter of 2022. That represented an 8 percent reduction from the previous year (27,226 operations), due to the tough winter. FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION April 14, 2022 Page 5 C. AIRPORT INCIDENTS AND OPERATIONAL UPDATES - MAC Peterson announced there were seven events, compared with zero the previous year. None were repeats. There were conversations with most of the pilots involved. Most were flying Gulfstream 4s with a 60,000-pound maximum. He found the education to be successful. One pilot was coming in from Barbados. D. LONG-TERM COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - MAC Peterson announced the Long-Term Comprehensive Plan had a new planner, Eric Gilles, who came from the HNTB. The existing conditions review were substantially completed and would be put into a chapter. Historical aircraft activity was being verified, and it was also necessary to verify base aircraft. The FAA would review forecasts make sure numbers were correct. A stakeholder engagement meeting would be held April 20, 2022 at Flying Cloud Airport. Public presentations to share these comments would be held in May. He would share the project website as the project progresses. Gilles would attend the next Flying Cloud Airport Advisory Commission meeting in July. Dorson stated he would attend the stakeholder meeting. Gerber stated City staff was also asked to attend the stakeholder meeting, and Community Development Director Julie Klima would attend as the primary contact. Gerber stated he could attend as well. Peterson added attendees from Shakopee, Chaska, Bloomington, and Chanhassen would also attend. Marc Morhack asked if any artificial decoration or art on the chain link fence could be used to make the Flying Cloud Airport more attractive, and Peterson replied he had not looked at that yet, but it was a possibility, and a good idea. Yash stated he agreed with Morhack that a mural could be used on Elliott Aviation. Narendranath suggested lighting would make a difference. Dorson said they could explore the rules and restrictions in this possibility, such as the face- down LED lighting Eden Prairie had adopted. Suchita suggested the Flying Cloud Airport sign could be made of stone with lighting; she found the blue sign to be quite small. Dorson agreed. Narendranath suggested a light on the sign. Yash suggested using a monument-like sign such as the one Grace Church had. Dorson agreed and stated he would visit the St. Paul Airport to gain other ideas. He would pass all ideas to Peterson and have additional discussion at the July meeting. Barker stated there could be additional features at the viewing area to give it more of an “aviation vibe,” such as a radio to listen to the tower, or a place for families to eat dinner between events. Dorson replied that area would need power. Barker replied the shelter did not have that at present. Morhack suggested a sign to direct FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION April 14, 2022 Page 6 people to a website or a frequency to tune in, and Barker suggested a QR Code. Lewis stated she thought there were plans this year to add a radio to the viewing area to listen to the tower. Dorson stated he would like to see changes to the fence line, such as changing the chain link. There would an annual tour of the airport on Thursday, May 12 at 4:00 p.m. VIII. OLD BUSINESS A. FOLLOW-UP TO CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP PRESENTATION ON COMMISSION WORK PLAN FOR 2022 – JANUARY 18TH Dorson summarized his presentation to the City Council and his update of the board’s work. Gerber stated both the Chair and the Vice-Chair were at the meeting and Dorson did an exceptional job. The City Council was always appreciative. Barker asked if there were any insights from the City Council on focus items, such as drones. Dorson replied the Long-Term Comprehensive Plan would address more specifics, but the City Council was mostly taking in the information. Gerber stated the City Council appreciated this group and its conversation with MAC. IX. NEW BUSINESS X. UPCOMING EVENTS AND TOPICS FOR FUTURE FCAAC MEETINGS • The Air Expo will be held July 23 and 24, 2022. • The Girls in Aviation Day will be held September 24, 2022. XI. ADJOURNMENT The next FCAAC meeting will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in Heritage Room I. MOTION: Morhack moved, seconded by Lawrence to adjourn. Motion carried 4-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.