Wingtips Volume 3 - Number 2

Originally published in 1995

We were hoping it would be the best ever, and it was. A record 400 people attended this year’s Thirteenth Annual Texas Airport Operators Conference, including airport managers, sponsors, consultants, speakers, staff, and a record number of 36 exhibitors.

Rick Severson, President of Texas Association of Airport Executives is pictured below at the exhibitor’s get-acquainted reception. TAAE co-sponsors this annual conference with TxDOT.

Pictured above is Astronaut Fred Gregory who was the keynote speaker at the Airport Operators Conference. Mr. Gregory held the audience’s undivided attention as he narrated a spectacular video of his various trips into space. He has flown in three missions as a NASA Astronaut-as pilot of the Orbiter Challenger-as spacecraft commander aboard Discovery- and as commander of a crew of six aboard the Atlantis. He is currently NASA’s Associate Administrator for the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance.

The Hangar Party at Austin Aero to celebrate our 50th anniversary of being a state agency for aviation in Texas was a great success. Dave Fulton, Director of TxDOT’s Aviation Division, was recently asked why it is important to remember the state’s aviation history. “Looking back over the 50-year history of being a state agency for aviation, you see all the adjustments that have been necessary to continue to provide for the aviation needs of a changing environment and the growing population in Texas. Besides, anything that is 50 years old and still works great should be celebrated.

Originally published in 1995

It is official! Texas now has an Aviation Hall of Fame! The 74th Legislature has designated the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston as the official home of the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame. Governor George W. Bush signed the Concurrent Resolution (HCR No. 209), on Saturday, May 27, 1995. Sponsored by State Representative Craig Eiland, and supported by Senator Jerry Patterson and State Representative Patricia Gray, the Resolution applauds the Lone Star Flight Museum’s exceptional work in restoring, maintaining, and making available their collection of award winning, historic air- craft for public viewing, and the dedication of the trustees, staff and members in preserving the legacy of aviation history.

The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame will be housed in a separate section within the museum. Hall of Fame nomination and induction procedures are currently being developed by a steering committee. It is anticipated that the facility design and nominating procedures will be completed prior to the end of the year and that the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame will be open to the public by late 1996.

“We are honored to have received this designation,” said Ralph Royce, Director of the Lone Star Flight Museum, “and are committed to developing a quality tribute to Texans whose achievements in aviation made history, and whose accomplishments contributed to aviation technology. We look forward to working with the steering committee and the Texas Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division on this worthy project.

The Lone Star Flight Museum is located at the Galveston Airport, next to Moody Gardens. For additional information, call the museum at (409) 740-7722.

Originally published in 1995

Since the 1991 merger of the former Department of Aviation and the Department of Highways and Public Transportation to form the Texas Department of Transportation, aviation functions formerly carried out by the Department of Aviation have been the sole responsibility of the Aviation Division of the Department of Transportation.

Realizing that the Department’s involvement in air transportation matters must grow in order to become a “true transportation department”, the Texas Department of Transportation began an investigation to determine how Department resources could best be used in support of airport and aviation development.

As a result of that effort, beginning September 1, 1995, local citizens interested in improving their airports will be able to obtain assistance from their local transportation district offices in addition to the assistance pro- vided by the Aviation Division in Austin. In the future, state assistance will be available within local communities in a manner similar to the assistance now being provided for highway and public transportation.

Types of assistance which will become available at the district level will be airport program information, project development, construction management, land acquisition assistance, technical assistance, and airport safety and compliance inspections. Additionally, the Department is continuing to investigate ways to assist communities in meeting their routine maintenance requirements.

The changes underway will provide an excellent opportunity to utilize the substantial resources of the Texas Department of Transportation in pursuit of state- wide air transportation goals and objectives.

Legislative Summary

Although the Texas Department of Transportation was unsuccessful in obtaining dedicated funding for the aviation program, significant gains were made during the past legislative session. A legislative study was commissioned to investigate statewide airport needs and financing options, to recommend a funding mechanism to establish adequate funding for the Texas Air Transportation System, and submit that information to the 75th Legislature.

Even though federal funding for airport develop- ment in future years looks relatively dismal at this point, significant gains have been made in state funding. The Texas Department of Transportation’s commitment in- creased from a total of $8.5 million for FY 94-95, to a total of $20.7 million for FY 96-97. Hopefully, an increase in federal airport funding can be achieved as we remain far short of $50 million per year in funding needs.

Other legislative successes include a resolution of flight school sales tax inequities, authorization for expediting emergency airport project funding, and simplification of administrative procedures for enacting airport hazard zoning. And finally, Texas has an Aviation Hall of Fame!

Originally published in 1995

The Texas Transportation Commission approved the FY 1996-2000 Aviation Capital Improvement Program (CIP) at its May meeting. The CIP is formulated based on anticipated funding levels from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Texas Airport Facilities Development Program and contains projects totaling almost $127 million. over the five-year period.

The FY 1996-2000 CIP contains some important changes which may have affected your airport project. The most important change is that TxDOT will no longer contribute to the non-federal share of projects funded through the federal Airport Improvement Program. This means that the local share for both state and federal projects will be 10 percent. The decision was made in order to address increasingly limited funding and to provide equitable fund- ing for all airports, regardless of size, activity level, and federal funding eligibility. Copies of the CIP are available from the Aviation Division.

Originally published in 1995

The Aviation Division is moving from the Anson Jones Building, located at 410 E. 5th Street. Beginning July 31, 1995, the Aviation Division will be located at the Texas Department of Transportation’s Riverside Annex, where many of TxDOT’s other divisions are located.

Our new mailing address will be different from our actual office location. Our main office number will be (512) 416-4500. Individual telephone numbers have been as- signed to each staff member. Our toll free 1-800-68-PILOT number will remain the same.

Mailing Address: 125 E. 11th Street Austin, TX 78701-2483

Office Location: 150 E. Riverside Drive 5th Floor, South Tower Austin, TX 78704

Aviation Library Location: 150 E. Riverside Drive 1st Floor, South Tower Austin, TX 78704