Civic Affairs By STEVE SWITZER
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Airport master planning process has been unsatisfactory so far Although this month ’ s Villager theme is “ humor ,” I can ’ t find anything funny about the latest efforts of the Oregon Department of Aviation ( ODAV )
SWITZER
Airport Master Plan ( AMP ) process . The draft plan was released after only one Public “ Advisory ” Committee meeting . They also sent the 85-page document out late on a Friday afternoon for a Tuesday meeting . It appears from first glance that the plan relies heavily on the 2011-12 AMP , with updated usage and forecasts . To view the draft in its entirety , you can access the public website at : https :// publicproject . net / auroraairport #.
We have just begun “ drilling ” into the draft but here are some basics about the airport and the plan . The airport covers an area of 144 acres . The runway runs north / south ( 35 / 17 ) and is 5,004 feet long . Water is provided from a system of wells and sanitary sewer is provided by individual drain field / septic tank systems . Private companies own the land on the east side of the airport . Most of the large hangers are privately owned .
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Annual operations / based aircraft
There were over 76,000 operations in
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2021 . The plan forecasts that number to increase to over 96,000 per year by 2031 . An operation is a take-off or landing . That said , the number includes multiple training flights where the pilot circles the airport and conducts “ touch & go ’ s .” According to the control tower logs ( ATCT ) over half of the flights were from visiting aircraft ( Itinerant Ops ). Air Taxi ( Charter ) accounted for over 2,000 operations . That is third only behind Hillsboro and PDX . General aviation itinerant operations ( planes not based at the airport ) is second in the state , just behind Hillsboro .
There are 235 propeller-based aircraft ( 220 single engine , 15 multi-engine ) and 36 jets . Currently there are 10 based helicopters . Over one million gallons of JetFuel and over 92,000 gallons of general aviation fuel were sold at the airport last year .
While the total number of based aircraft is less than it was in 2012 , the number of jets based has increased almost 90 %. Developers around the airport have increased the large hanger space to over 971,000 square feet . That is a 17 % increase and directly correlated to the increase in based jets and decrease in single-engine propeller aircraft since many of the “ T ” type hangers have been removed . The current projection for the next 15 years is a 40 % increase in based jets from the current 36 to 50 . What is also significant is the projected increase in “ Air Taxi ” operations and other corporate aircraft using the convenience and reduced cost of landing at the Aurora Airport rather than Hillsboro or PDX .
Constrained operations
One of the significant legal issues from the 2012 AMP was the term “ larger class of
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airplanes .” The ODAV continues to claim that the extension of the runway to 6,000 feet would not permit a larger class of airplanes since they are already using the airport under weight limit waivers and “ constrained operations .” If an aircraft is over the 44,000-pound limit , the operator must obtain a waiver from the ODAV . Similarly , if the aircraft needs more than 5,000 feet of runway with a full fuel load , it has to reduce the amount of fuel and that reduces its range ( constrained operation ). A 2018 study by the ODAV concluded that there are over 500 “ constrained operations ” at the airport annually . Coincidently , one of the FAA requirements for funding of the runway extension is 500 constrained operations per year . The methodology used in those determinations is subject to question since it relied heavily on pilot reports and not actual flight data .
Aurora State Airport Reference Code ( ARC ) is C-II . The C indicates the approach speed requirements based on runway length and the Roman numeral ( II ) is the design group for the aircraft ’ s maximum wingspan allowed to avoid objects either close to the runway or the taxiway . A small Piper or Cessna approaches at 60-65 knots . A small business jet approaches at about 125-135 knots . Aircraft performance is also dependent upon the air temperature and altitude of the airport . Business jets using the airport , both based and itinerant , often require more that the 5,000 feet available if the temperature is over 85 degrees and / or the runway is wet or icey . Several based aircraft exceed the wingspan limit and weight limit and obtain waivers from the state for all of their flights .
What is next ?
The process will continue with a
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“ workshop ” set for April and a regular PAC meeting set for May . There is little doubt that the AMP , when completed , will be similar to the 2012 AMP and will include a recommendation to extend the runway to 6,000 feet . Our concerns remain the same . The stated goals in the AMP once again do not address the fact that Charbonneau , as well as other Wilsonville neighborhoods right across the river , will be impacted with any runway extension or increases in jet traffic over our homes . Although there are ample claims about the economic impact for the area , none of that data has been verified . We have asked repeatedly about the “ safety ” argument and that also remains somewhat vague . The ODAV suggests that even though the first draft of the plan is complete , the process is open and our concerns are being heard . They have also publicly stated that although we are an “ advisory ” committee , none of our “ advice ” will necessarily be a part of the plan . In other words , the blueprints for the house are already done . We might get to help pick which shade of blue curtains should be used in the laundry room .
SB 1589
The legislature passed SB 1589 in the just-closed “ short session .” This bill limits the weight of boats to 5,500 pounds if they want to obtain a towed watersports motorboat certificate . That permit is required for wakeboarding and waterskiing in the “ Newberg Pool Congested Zone ” of the river . As you know , Charbonneau has over one mile of shoreline on the river and excessive waves caused by large watercraft will continue to have an impact on the erosion of our shore .
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