Stevensville airport improvements approach completion

By Michael Howell

The Stevensville Airport has been closed since August 1 for runway improvements that are expected to be completed by the end of October. The improvement project comes as the fruition of over 15 years of planning under the direction of former Airport Manager Don Misevic.

The improvement designs, as incorporated into the Airport Layout Plan under Misevic’s direction, were slightly tweaked at the implementation stage resulting in the current project which calls for widening the runway and extending the taxiway so that it runs parallel to the runway for its entire length. The current connection strip between the runway and taxiway in the middle will be eliminated for safety reasons. Airplanes will only enter and leave the runway at either end.

According to Tyler Reed from Morrison-Maierle Engineering, who is overseeing implementation of the project, the 3,800 foot long runway, which is currently 60 feet wide, is being milled and re-paved. The length will remain unchanged but the surface will be widened to 75 feet. Reed said that the improvements will not change the status of the airport or the limits on the kind of planes that can use the airport (B2 Small), which is primarily based upon the weight of the aircraft, although airspeed and wing span are also factors.

Reed said that aside from the widening of the runway and the extension of the taxiway, the project also involved new electrical infrastructure for runway and taxiway lighting as well as taxiway signage. Included as well is the installation of a weather station that will give pilots the altitude and visibility at the airport as well as wind speed and direction. The information will be available on the internet or by phone. A visual recognition aid, called a Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI), will help pilots in their landing approach at night. Pilots can turn on the lighting system from their aircraft.

According to information provided by Stevensville Airport Board Chairman Craig Thomas, from a 2008 Montana Economic Impact of Airports Study, 18,800 jobs in Montana are in some way supported by the commercial and general aviation airports. These are jobs that are associated with on-airport businesses, tenants and other activities. These jobs accounted for over $600 million in annual payroll. Add the secondary economic benefits of this money rolling into the local economy and the total airport related economic output for the state was estimated at $1.5 billion.

In 2008, there were nine aviation related tenants at the Stevensville Airport who supported over 30 employees. Direct output from all on-airport aviation related tenants was estimated at $5.5 million annually. The estimated direct annual payroll of the tenants was estimated at $867,000. Operational data indicated that approximately 2,046 visitors used the airport and visitor related spending supported an additional three full-time jobs for employees earning over $68,300 annually. Indirect output from general aviation visitors was estimated at $184,100. Add the secondary impacts and the total output was approximately $935,000 with a total full time airport related employment of about 70 persons, with a total payroll of approximately $1.7 million.

Volunteer Airport Manager Bob Otte said that it was important for the residents of Stevensville to understand that individual taxpayers were not footing the bill for the current $2 million improvement project. The Federal Aviation Administration, using fuel tax money, foots 90% of the cost of the project. The Town must match the remaining 10%. But in this case the Town got a grant from Montana State Aeronautics to cover half that cost. The remainder is being paid, not through municipal taxes, but through funds saved up over the years by the airport users themselves, through user fees, self-imposed business fees, tie down fees and fuel sales. The airport is also a Targeted Economic Development District and taxes paid by the property owners are dedicated to infrastructure improvements within the district.

Thomas said that there are some side benefits accruing as the work progresses, such as creation of some parking area and roadway with the earth fill being produced. An area is also being filled that could accommodate more hangars in the future.