Blue Earth airport's use re-examined
Sarah Day — Sentinel Staff WriterBLUE EARTH - Local businesses recently received an airport survey - again.
The 26 businesses are potential and current users of the Blue Earth Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration required the city to re-verify operation numbers before moving ahead with plans for a runway expansion.
The first survey's results were inaccurate, overestimating the airport's future use, in the opinion of some City Council members.
Six million dollars in federal funds are at risk if the city can't show the expansion is needed.
A debated point in the airport expansion is the required minimum length for airplanes to land based on insurance or company requirements. The survey has asked companies to specify that information in the new survey, as well as the length required for acceleration and stopping distance for their aircrafts.
City Administrator Kathy Bailey said the surveys needed to be returned by Friday, but she had only received six surveys as of last week. Some businesses conducting flight operations hadn't been included in the last study, she noted.
"We'll see where the numbers go," Bailey told the City Council last week.
Among the questions the survey covers were inquiries into air transportation needs; whether they use the facility for general aviation business travel; if they own or lease an aircraft that is at least partially used for business purposes; what airport they use; if the facilities at Blue Earth are adequate for their purpose.
The survey also asks businesses' opinion on the expansion project and how it would affect them.
Companies with operations out of the Blue Earth airport are asked to detail aircraft models, the number of annual operations in 2006 and 2009, and projected operations for 2012 and 2015. They also are asked to explain any changes from predictions.
