20070524 Issues related to airport proposal need clear review by Cindy Parr

Issues related to airport proposal need clear review

{For more posts on “Soundtrack” about Carroll County Regional Airport go to: Carroll County Regional Airport}

05/24/07

Guest Opinion by Cindy Parr — Chief of Administrative Services for Carroll County Government

In recent months, much has been written about the Carroll County Regional Airport's (CCRA) proposed expansion effort.

This letter is intended to serve as a clarification of the facts as they relate to the proposed expansion of this facility.

First and foremost, it is critical to note there are four components that are associated with the proposed expansion of the Carroll County Regional Airport.

They are: safety, noise, airport status and funding.

The first issue is safety. Safety has always been at the forefront of this proposed plan. The plan, if accepted, would allow the runway to be expanded by 1,300 feet. A longer runway enhances the ability to reduce noise by thrust reduction for take off and landing. This also provides for a much safer operating environment as aircraft have more space to gain speed for departure and more distance to brake when landing.

Another benefit of the longer runway is noise reduction. Decreasing engine thrust results in lower noise levels. Turbine engine thrust produces the sound that is associated with jet engines. In essence, a longer runway translates into less thrust which means less noise.

Carroll County Regional Airport has been designated as a reliever facility since 1994. The responsibility of a reliever airport is to provide an alternative for corporate and general aviation aircraft to operate in a non commercial environment.

CCRA is not a commercial airport that offers scheduled flight services. There are four major commercial flight facilities -- BWI- Thurgood Marshall, Dulles, Reagan National and Harrisburg International -- that offer these types of services. Their proximity to Carroll County precludes the CCRA from becoming a commercial facility.

Funding has been another contentious subject surrounding the proposed airport expansion. The Carroll County Regional Airport is an enterprise fund. Basically, this means the airport generates its operating dollars from user fees, fuel sales and hangar rentals.

Fiscal years 2003, '04, '05 and '06 show revenues exceeding expenditures. User fees include tie-downs, overnight aircraft parking and landing charges. In addition to these fees, the CCRA collects a fuel flow fee and rent from seven corporate hangar clients. The CCRA also receives rental income from properties that are contiguous to the airport.

Each year, the airport is given $150,000 from the Airport Improvement Program, a trust fund managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

This trust fund generates these trust fund dollars through user fees from all airports nationwide. These funds are not generated by local, state or federal tax payer dollars.

The Airport Improvement Program is the source for FAA airport construction funding. It is this trust fund that would supply the monies to fund 95 percent of the proposed airport expansion.

The Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) would fund 2.5 percent and the remaining 2.5 percent would come from the Carroll County Airport Enterprise fund. The dollars from the County's Enterprise Fund are generated from user fees, not county taxpayer dollars.

In conclusion, understanding and recognizing the facts of the proposed airport expansion; whether they support a specific agenda or not, is critical.

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