Wingtips September/October 2000

Originally published in 2000

We believe that our employees are the most important resource that we have available to support us daily in the fulfillment of the “aviation” mission for the State of Texas. They are, as team members, our winning hand. We will continue to showcase employees in Wingtips, so that you can get to know them, their responsibilities and their interests.

Greg Miller
By Marie C. Peinado

Let me introduce you to a man who takes his job seriously and who has bailed us out of many, many, automation mishaps … a man who has pushed us into the 21st century kicking and screaming, to face new information technology and new ways to improve our work . . . a man every organization needs without fail!

Greg came to us one bright and sunny day in February, seven years ago. Originally hired as an Airport Safety Inspector, we quickly recognized what we had on hand – Greg possesses multi-talented skills in graphics and information management – so, we took advantage of it as any state agency would. You’ve guessed it! Greg’s job has evolved into Special Projects Administrator that also includes Graphics & GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Coordinator for Aviation.

Prior to TxDOT, Greg worked 15 years in the private sector for consulting engineers and planners: five years doing petrochemical plant piping design in Houston, five years in Austin as a land development and site planner, and five years as a civil engineering designer working on Austin’s airport and roadway projects. All told, Greg has 17 years of experience in Computer Aided Design (CAD) and about 10 years, give or take, of writing software applications.

A native of Louisiana, but a Texan by choice, Greg has endowed the State of Texas with his presence for 20 years. However, we intend to keep him a little longer, that is, until TADS is polished and completed. TADS – Texas Aviation Data System – is Greg’s ingenious contribution to the Aviation Division. The program will provide Aviation staff with current information on various aspects of the projects in the Capital Improvement Program. The information will be stored on a centralized “client server” database.

Greg has been married to Mary for nearly 17 years. Mary is a middle school teacher, currently on leave, at Austin’s Bailey Middle School. This union has produced a daughter, Abby, a precocious young lady, who will be five years old in September.

One of Greg’s special personal goals is to complete his Computer Science degree, which he has been consistently toiling at night for some time now; and another goal is to give Bob Villa competition on a remodeling home project that Greg says, “just won’t end!”

We are especially grateful for Greg’s easy manner, particularly his willingness to contribute his expertise and patience to Aviation.

Harry Lorton
By Marie C. Peinado

We are glad to announce that Harry Lorton joined Project Management as our newest engineer and project manager on June 1, 2000.

Harry comes to us with a wealth of aviation experience. He spent 12 1/2 years working as a project manager overseeing consultants on airport rehab/replacement and facility development projects for the Houston Airport System, which includes Bush Intercontinental, William P. Hobby Airport and Ellington Field. Harry then spent about six months working with Klotz & Associates, an engineering firm, before accepting a position with TxDOT’s Bridge Division 14 months ago.

A native New Yorker, who grew up in San Antonio, Harry can be considered a Texan any day! He attended Texas A&M, mind you! Harry graduated in 1985 with a Civil Engineering degree, and became a Licensed Professional Engineer in 1991.

Harry’s scenic commute is about 60 miles each way from the family ranch which is located about six miles outside of Gonzales, “the Lexington of Texas”. Harry and his wife, Deedee, have three children: Jonathan, nine years, Jacob, five years, and Hannah, three years. Currently, Harry spends his “free time” working on home improvement projects … “c’est la vie” Harry … which keep him from hobbies such as fishing, hunting, and snow skiing … in Texas?

Welcome back to aviation Harry, and we are excited to have you aboard!

Bill Gunn He’s Back…
By David S. Fulton

Many of you know Bill Gunn who worked for TxDOT Aviation for several years, retiring in December of last year. Bill, the manager of our Certified Flight Instructor Clinics, became well-acquainted with many pilots and aircraft owners, attending numerous pilot meetings and participating in aviation safety seminars throughout the state. To our good fortune, Bill has decided to come out of retirement and come back to work for us. He came back on August 1. Give Bill a call at 1/800-68-PILOT. I’m sure he’d be glad to hear from you.

Originally published in 2000

• SUN ‘N FUN 2000 AWARDS -ANTIQUES: Best Restored Classic (over 165 hp) Cessna C-195A-Nl95S – David L. Cole, Willis Texas; HOMEBUILT: Best Biplane, Starduster Too-NIOJH – Jim Hayden, Richmond, Texas; and Outstanding Aircraft, Christen Eagle-N106JP-Bill Postula, Montgomery, Texas.
• YOUNG EAGLES PROGRAM came to Wood County Airport (Mineola-Quitman) recently and gave young people ages 8 to 18 the opportunity to soar like eagles. The “Young Eagles Program” was started by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and has 200,000 members worldwide. Membership’s goal is to give a million young people the opportunity to experience the thrill of flight by the year 2003, which will be the 100th anniversary of man’s first powered flight of the Wright Brothers in 1903.
• TAYLOR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT- Scott and White’s emergency medical air transport, Medivac 1, in conjunction with the Southwest Helicopters of Tucson, Arizona, announced in June the expansion of its EMS helicopter service in Taylor. The EMS helicopter will be based at Taylor Airport to serve South Central Texas 24 hours a day.
• MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT announced in June that Continental Express was adding a sixth non-stop jet flight from Midland to Houston InterContinental Airport starting July 2, 2000.
• SOUTHWEST AIRLINES and Houston city officials broke ground in June for a new $78 million central concourse at Hobby Airport, designed to replace much of the current facility. When built, the “Y”-designed concourse will add 20 aircraft gates and an expanded terminal lobby area to the nation’s 40th busiest airport. The concourse is slated to be finished in August 2002.
• AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT celebrated its first birthday on May 23. One year after it opened, the $690 million airport is being hailed as a profitable success, with the number of passengers flying to and from Austin up by 15 percent. In 1999, 6.7 million passengers used the new airport, and officials expect that figure to exceed 7 million in 2000.
• 1999 REMAINED ONE OF COMMERCIAL AVIATION’S SAFER YEARS according to a National Transportation Safety Board report despite 12 killed in two jet accidents. No airline passengers were killed in 1998, the safest year in airline history. Only two passengers were killed in 1997. On general aviation planes, which include corporate jets, the number of fatal accidents decreased from 365 in 1998 to 342 in 1999, but the number of fatalities increased from 623 to 628.
• AUSTIN EXPRESS, INC. announced that a new service began on July 5, with four non-stop flights between Corpus Christi and Austin. The 55-minute flights will be made with Fairchild Metro III propjet aircraft. Additionally, there will be continuing service from Austin to Tyler.
• AIR CANADA launched daily nonstop service between Austin and Toronto in June. Air Canada is the only airline offering nonstop flights between the two cities, and the only airline offering regularly scheduled nonstop service from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to another country.
• AMERICAN EAGLE began regional jet service between Midland-Odessa and its hub at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in May. The airline also announced that it will open a new terminal at DFW in October, a satellite terminal to its Terminal A. The new terminal will have 13 gates, each with a covered boarding bridge that passengers can cross to or from a regional jet or the ATR turboprops. Additionally, the airline will operate a shuttle bus every three minutes, carrying passengers to Terminal A to make connecting flights.
• LUBBOCK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, starting in April, achieved an immense goal: providing choices to passengers between four carriers all offering jet service to three airports, with more frequency. Passengers can now travel to Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Love Field in Dallas or Dallas-Fort Worth International through the services of American Eagle and Atlantic Southwest Airlines. Indeed, new sleek regional jets are slowly replacing antiquated turboprops in short-haul markets to major hubs.
• EL PASO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’S projections show that about 95 tons of air cargo is expected to pass through the airport this year, compared with 38 tons in 1990; that by the end of the decade, about 220 tons of air cargo a year is expected to be shipped out of ELP; and according to Airport Director Pat Abeln, in order to accommodate the growth, a 300,000-square-foot cargo center is under way and will add to the existing facilities – a 40,000-square-foot center and a 60,000-square-foot center.
• TEXAS’ STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE recently bought two new M20S Eagles from Mooney Aircraft Corporation for use in the college’s advanced flight training program. The first of the 2000 model year aircraft, which are equipped with a range of features including dual Garmin GNS430 GPS/Nav/Coms, was delivered to TSTC in June. TSTC, a state-funded vocational-technical college with campuses across the state offers a two-year associate degree for pilots. TSTC also has teamed up with Baylor University to offer a joint four-year Aviation Science program.

Originally published in 2000

Workers have been busy recently preparing the foundation for the new terminal at the Granbury airport. The new terminal will cost $362,380, part of which is being funded by a state grant. The former terminal was tom down prior to the beginning of construction. The airport staff is being temporarily housed in a portable building during the work. The 36 by 177-foot terminal will include a meeting room, several offices, a pilot’s lounge and restrooms.

Originally published in 2000

ALPINE-CASPARIS AIRPORT, Alpine: $1,400,000 grant will be used for pavement improvements to runways and taxiways, as well as expanding the concrete apron for additional parking for aircraft; installing runway signage and deer-proof fencing.

COULTER FIELD, Bryan: $1,100,000 grant will be used to rebuild the runway, taxiways and hangar access taxiways and additional parking expansion for aircraft.

CULBERSON COUNTY AIRPORT, Van Hom: $50,000 grant will be used for repairs, which include sealing all cracks and resealing and striping two runways.

FAYETTE REGIONAL AIR CENTER, La Grange: $1,511,290 grant will be used to fund the construction phase of a runway extension, plus runway, taxiway, apron and lighting upgrades.

GIDDINGS-LEE COUNTY AIRPORT, Giddings: $466,000 grant will be used for new construction and includes rehabilitating, along with striping and marking, the 4,000 foot runway; constructing a new taxiway with additional hangar access; reconstructing the apron; a parking area for aircraft; relocating a rotating beacon and tower; and installing drainage and erosion controls.

GILLESPIE COUNTY AIRPORT, Fredericksburg: $400,000 grant will be used to fund the construction of an airport terminal/apron area and ramp.

GRANBURY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, Granbury: $510,000 grant will be used for a new taxilane between hangars and the airport’s taxiway, including the expansion of the airport’s apron, which is the parking area for aircraft. Other airport improvements include the construction of a new airport terminal ($362,380 grant) – the 36 by 177-foot facility will include a meeting room, several offices, a pilot’s lounge and restrooms.

McMAHON-WRINKLE AIRPARK, Big Spring: $130,000 grant will be used to complete electrical design plans for runway lighting, including the relocation of the airport beacon from the east side to the west side, and the installation of taxiway reflectors. (Grant approval was part pf a $750,000 runway lighting project approved earlier.) MID-VALLEY AIRPORT, Weslaco: $1,700,000 grant will be used for complete reconstruction and expansion of the terminal area parking ramp, upgrading of the aircraft fueling system to allow for greater storage and fuel capacity, improved runway lighting, more taxiways and an improved visual approach indicator system.

PLAINVIEW-HALE COUNTY AIRPORT, Plainview: $1,900,000 grant will be used for pavement improvements to the runways and taxiways, including apron repair and additional parking for aircraft.

PRESIDIO COUNTY AIRPORT, Marfa: $10,000 in a 50/50 grant agreement – TxDOT is responsible for supplying the materials for pavement repair, in an effort to cut cost the county has decided to do all labor in-house. Herbicide spraying has already begun on the field to prepare for sealing. SULPHUR SPRINGS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, Sulphur Springs: $315,000 grant will be used for a new apron in front of a new terminal at the airport.

WOODS COUNTY AIRPORT, Mineola: $1,200,000 grant will be used to extend the runway, which allows for landing by larger aircraft, including the installation of pilot navigational aids such as precision approach path indicators and runway end lights. Pavement improvements will also be made to the taxiway and apron – a parking area for aircraft.

Originally published in 2000
By Jim Cummins

This installation of airport compliance deals with exclusive rights, which are defined as any power, privilege, or right excluding or preventing another from enjoying or exercising a similar power, privilege, or right. Questions of exclusive rights are normally associated with suppliers of various airport services or products such as fixed base operators or fuel providers and not so much with the airport users. Exclusive rights may become established intentionally by contractual agreements or unintentionally by the imposing of unreasonable standards or requirements. Either way, the establishment of exclusive rights for any aeronautical activity at an obligated airport is normally not permitted under the sponsor assurances.

If public money is used to build, maintain, or improve an airport, the public must have equal access to that airport both as user and service provider. The presence of only one provider of aeronautical services or products on an airport would not be considered an exclusive right unless there is evidence that the sponsor has made an effort, either intentionally or unintentionally, to exclude or prevent other qualified applicants from being able to provide similar services or products.

Like most things dealing with compliance, there are exceptions. For example, it would not be considered an exclusive rights violation for the owner of an airport to be the sole provider of any aeronautical service or product to the public. If this option is taken, the sponsor may deny other requests to provide that same service to the public and not be considered as being in noncompliance with its sponsor assurances. The sponsor has this ability as long as the necessary equipment to provide that service or product is owned or controlled by the sponsor and operated by the sponsor’s employees.

The sponsor could not claim this exclusive right if the equipment is operated by a third person. That would be considered to be a service or product provided by that third party and not by the sponsor. The sponsor is required by its grant assurances to reasonably accommodate any “need” for aeronautical services or products. Need would be established whenever someone is “willing and able” to set up an operation and makes a request. No other justification for need is required. The “willing” part would be met when a request is made, but the definition also includes the word “able.” It is certainly within the rights, as well as the responsibility, of the airport sponsor to assure persons requesting to open a business on the airport have sufficient funding, equipment, and expertise to open that business; meaning they are “able.” It would be too subjective on the part of the sponsor to deny such a request based on an opinion that the business would not succeed.

All the sponsor should consider is whether the business is able to open. Suppose someone wants to set up a second public fuel operation at an obligated airport. The incumbent fuel provider argues there is not need for a second operation because there is not sufficient business to support both. However, if there is “need” for additional fuel providers as established by the “willing and able” test, the sponsor must take steps to reasonably accommodate that need. According to the sponsor assurances, public money demands equal public access both as user and service provider.

Originally published in 2000
By Russell Deason

The 8th Annual 4-H Aerospace Summer Day Camp was recently held at Martin Junior High School in Austin. The camp, sponsored by the Travis County Extension Service and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is an opportunity for nine through twelve-year- olds to learn about aviation and space exploration and their related fields. Campers were excited during the first hour of camp when a local television news helicopter landed and they were able to get a close-up view of the helicopter and its interior. There was also a field trip to the University of Texas for a very informative talk by an aerospace engineering professor and a visit by a well known local meteorologist who explained weather phenomena.

The campers attended sessions on living in space and how bats use radar for navigation; they were able to experience simulated space flight, moon walking, and two-dimensional weightlessness through devices available at the camp. Each camper built and launched a rocket while small groups of campers designed and built small solar cars and raced them. The camp concluded with a day long trip to Space Center/NASA in Houston and many of the campers were already making plans to attend camp next year.

Originally published in 2000

A Century of Flight Achievements

• 1909 – Mrs. Ralph van Deman becomes the first woman passenger to fly in an airplane, piloted by Wilbur Wright, October 27.
• 1910 – Theodore Roosevelt is the first president to fly in an airplane, October 11.
• 1941 – The Civil Aeronautics Administration begins to operate control towers for the first time, November 1.
• 1951 – White Sands, N.M., a rocket intercepts an airplane for the first time, during tests, November 27.
• 1963 – First flight of the Gates Learjet executive jet aircraft in the U.S., October 7.
• 1971 – NASA’s Mariner 9 orbits Mars, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet, November 13.
• 1977 – New York, N.Y., the Concorde lands after having made its first flight from London, England, November 21.

Originally published in 2000

The Houston Airport System has selected Thomas Bartlett as the new deputy director for Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Bartlett was named to the post after an extensive nationwide search and selection process. He has served as acting deputy director since November 1999, while continuing as the assistant director-Maintenance, at IAH.

Bartlett’s 22 years of aviation experience includes 17 years with the Houston Airport System in various key positions. He is responsible for the daily operations, maintenance and administration of the nation’s 13th busiest airport.

Originally published in 2000

Dehydration and the Pilot: 3 Stages of Heat Exhaustion

Transition from the one to the other can be very evident, hardly noticeable, or not evident at all.

Heat stress (body temperature, 99.5 – 100 F) reduces:
Performance, dexterity, and coordination
Ability to make quick decisions
Alertness
Visual capabilities
Caution and caring

Heat exhaustion (101 – 105 F) symptoms:
Fatigue
Nausea/vomiting
Giddiness
Cramps
Rapid breathing
Fainting

Heat stroke (> 100 F) symptoms:
Body’s heat control mechanism stops working
Mental confusion
Disorientation
Bizarre behavior
Coma

Source: FAA Aviation News

Originally published in 2000

The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame announced on July 14, 2000, the selection of eight new inductees. The new honorees to be inducted in November 2000, are: Ronald G. Bliss, Air Force pilot; Capt. Eugene Ceman, astronaut; General Claire Chennault, founder of the Flying Tigers; Bessie Coleman, first African American to earn an international pilot’s license; Charlie Hillard, first United States winner of the International Aerobatic Championships; D.U. “Dee” Howard, innovator of military and commercial aircraft conversion industry; Fred Parks, bomber group intelligence officer during the famed World War II Ploesti Raids; and Leland Snow, designer of the Snow Air Tractor and leading innovator in aerial agricultural application.

Confirmed by the Texas Legislature and dedicated in 1997, the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame honors Texans who have contributed to the advancement of aviation and outstanding aviation achievements within the state. The Class of 2000 will be honored in special induction ceremonies at the annual Texas Aviation Hall of Fame Gala in Galveston, Texas, on November 10, 2000.