Cariboo Regional District

Building Communities Together

 

2008 Business Plan

South Cariboo Regional Airport (1113)

 

Darron Campbell, Manager of Community Services

 

 

Working in partnership with communities, large and small, to make the Cariboo Chilcotin a socially, environmentally, and economically desirable region to live, work and play.

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Department/Function Services

 

The South Cariboo Regional Airport service was established by Supplementary Letters Patent No. 56, and became a function of the Cariboo Regional District in 1981 following successful negotiations with Block Bros who originally constructed the airport to facilitate access to its subdivision development at the 108 Mile Ranch.

 

The airport has the longest runway (4877 feet) in the south Cariboo and is the main access point to the area for large commercial aircraft as well as Medivac and RCMP flights.

 

Portions of electoral areas “G”, “H”, and “L” and the District of 100 Mile House participate in this service, which is funded by means of a tax applied to the assessed value of land and improvements within the local service area.  The maximum requisition is $0.312/$1,000.

 

Directors for electoral areas “G”, “H”, and “L” and District of 100 Mile House are responsible for the governance of this service and act, along with four appointed members, as the South Cariboo Regional Airport Commission, which was established to guide airport development and operations.

 

Business Plan Goals, Rationale & Strategies

 

2008 Goals

 

 

1.         Goal:  Research and submit applications as appropriate to grant funding programs such as Northern Trust or Western Economic Development for all improvements planned at the airport.

Rationale:  The airport is a key economic development asset in the south Cariboo and accessing external funding sources for major improvements will reduce the burden on local taxpayers.

Strategy:  Research and applications will be led by Regional District staff with support from the Airport Manager.

 

2.         Goal:  Complete the design plans necessary to realign the main airport access road.

Rationale:  The existing road is not well positioned to allow vehicles to enter the airport without tracking debris onto the apron. A new main access road will integrate with intra-airport roadways designed to access newly-constructed hangars.

Strategy:  Professional consulting services will be necessary to develop an appropriate plan. This design work will be supervised on-site by the airport manager in consultation with Regional District staff.

 

3.         Goal:  Widen the apron with a paved extension and improve tie down areas to facilitate snow removal.

Rationale:  Widening the apron will allow for the parking and movement of larger aircraft. Creating a central access lane and changing the position of the aircraft tie downs will open more parking spaces and improve snow plowing.

Strategy:  Project will be undertaken by the Airport Manager with support from contractors as necessary.

 

4.         Goal:  Investigate construction of a toilet facility and potential meeting space at the fueling station.

Rationale:  With the installation of a 24-hour automated fuel dispensing system, access to toilet facilities after business hours is preferable.

Strategy:  Investigation and planning for the project will be undertaken by the Airport Manager with support from Regional District staff.

 

5.         Goal:  Install better airport signs and remove outdated signs.

Rationale:  The current welcome and information signs at the airport are in extremely poor condition and have not been updated in years.

Strategy:  Project will be undertaken by the Airport Manager with support from contractors as necessary.

 

6.         Goal:  Continue with annual runway crack sealing, seal coating, and painting as necessary.

Rationale:  Regular maintenance must be done to protect the long term investment in the runway, which is the airport’s largest asset.

Strategy:  Crack sealing is completed on the entire runway each year, while seal coating and painting are done on a rotational schedule or on an as needed basis due to the high expense of this work.

 

2009 Goals

 

1.         Goal:  Continue with annual runway crack sealing, seal coating, and painting as necessary.

Rationale:  Regular maintenance must be done to protect the long term investment in the runway, which is the airport’s largest asset.

Strategy:  Crack sealing is completed on the entire runway each year, while seal coating and painting are done on a rotational schedule or on an as needed basis due to the high expense of this work.

 

2.         Goal:  Design and construct access roads on the airport property.

Rationale:  The current layout requires that vehicles cross the runway apron to access hangars. This creates a maintenance issue due to debris left on the apron, as well as a potential safety concern with vehicles and airplanes entering the same space.

Strategy:  The new proposed road alignment will move traffic to behind the existing hangars and away from the apron. Appropriate parking areas will also be considered. This work is included in the capital plan for 2008; however utilizing reserves may be required depending on the actual cost for the work established through a public bid process.

 

2010 Goal

 

1.         Goal:  Design and construct airport main access road.

Rationale:  In 2007, an easement was obtained from the neighbouring resort property to allow for the construction of a proper airport access road. The current access enters the runway apron and is not well positioned to accommodate parking. The new main access will integrate with on-airport roads planned for 2008.

Strategy:  Project will be supervised by the Airport Manager with support from Regional District staff. Engineered plans and professional construction contractors will be necessary to complete the work. This project is included in the capital plan for 2010; however, utilizing reserves may be required depending on the actual cost established through a public bid process.

 

Overall Financial Impact

 

Only inflationary increases are planned for 2008.

 

Important construction projects are planned for 2008 through 2010 creating a short term significant uplift in capital spending. Otherwise, the capital plan for the service identifies a consistent average annual expenditure of $5,000 for facility improvement in addition to $20,000 for runway maintenance.

 

The service has capital reserve funds of approximately $75,000 at the end of 2007 with a goal to increase this amount by about $15,000 each year throughout the financial plan.

 

Fuel sales provide significant revenue for the airport, however they are highly unpredictable based on commercial and local forest fire fighting activity. The Regional District includes a mark-up of $0.15 per litre to support airport operations and improvements. Preliminary net revenue for 2008 is estimated at $16,500.

 

Annual landing and parking fee revenue is stable at approximately $2,000 per year. The hangar licence will generate $1,800 per year for the next ten years.

 

Significant Issues & Trends

 

Increasing enquiries about private and commercial hangar construction may precipitate the need to pre-develop some areas of the airport due to the limited useable land currently available.

 

Measuring Previous Years’ Performance

 

Goal:   Investigate the installation of an automated fuel kiosk.

- Successfully completed. Following product research and approval of the airport commission, an automated system was installed in fall 2007.

 

Goal:   Build a public washroom near fueling station.

- Not completed. This goal was initially cancelled by the airport commission, and reinstated as a goal to investigate construction in 2008 at its meeting held September 19, 2007.

 

Goal:   Clad lean-to portion of CRD hangar building with metal siding so it complies with the visual standards for new hangars.

- Successfully completed.

 

Goal:   Continue with annual crack sealing of runway and seal coat portions of the runway on a rotational schedule.

- Completed. A new contractor, the Prince George Airport Authority, was used for the work at a cost savings of about 30 percent.

 

Other 2007 Accomplishments

 

The commission agreed to the transfer of the Airport Management and Operations contract from Jetom Ventures to Kite Aviation in February 2007.

 

An easement was secured from the neighbouring resort property to facilitate a better access route to the airport in the future. The new access road will integrate well with new parking and hangar development.

 

The commission approved an increase in landing fees, from $10 to $20 for twin engine, jet and prop-jet aircraft starting in August 2007.

 

Proposals for six new aircraft hangars were received and approved-in-principal to proceed with more detailed planning.