The Plymouth Municipal Airport may be getting an automated weather station or AWAS by September. Don Wendel from Michiana Contracting presented information on the project at Tuesday’s meeting. The airport has wanted that improvement for many years but had thought the cost was prohibitive. Wendel will present a cost proposal at next month’s meeting but he’s positive that it can be built for much less.
City Attorney Sean Surrisi told the board that it would still require competitive bids. Those will be advertised before the next meeting. If those bids are accepted the system could be installed by September.
While the FAA was examining the finished runway repaving and widening project, they decided that there was one hill that was 6-inches too high to allow night instrument approaches. Everyone agreed that lowering the hill could be paid for with the under budget funds from the runway project. That work could begin next week, however it does not prevent the FAA from finding other problem areas.
The rotating beacon for the airport failed two weeks ago. Emergency replacement of the beacon will cost the airport $6,350.
The airport’s snow removal equipment is a 21 year old dump truck with plow which came from the Plymouth Street Department. That truck has become unreliable. It was discussed that FAA funds might be able to pay for a replacement. The Aviation Board put off the decision to proceed with the proposal for the $170,000 tractor because taking that money would requiring deferring some other potential projects.
