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Additional Airport QuestionsWhy do we need another airport when we have a perfectly good airport at Glacier Part International Airport? Kalispell City Airport and Glacier Park International Airport are two distinct and separate classifications of airports. One is a commercial airport and one is a general aviation airport. Each airport provides a different function for the flying public. The commercial airport handles large passenger carrying and cargo carrying jets, plus the larger corporate jets. These are fast moving aircraft that fly at high altitudes that need instrumented airfields and control towers to function properly and be more efficient. The general aviation airport is a small, single runway airport more suited to small single engine and twin engine aircraft, plus sport and recreational aircraft. These aircraft are normally smaller and slower aircraft and are normally privately owned. The general aviation airport is designed for convenience rather that comfort and speed. General aviation airports are designed to get in and out of quickly and normally do not have control towers. General aviation airports are where gliders are normally towed from, where skydivers can jump from, where banners can be towed from, where helicopters can come and go without lengthy delays. Small aircraft migrate to general aviation airports because there are not a lot of the delays you encounter at a commercial airport with ground control and tower controls. Some sport and recreational aircraft do not have radios and can not fly within miles of commercial airports. The FAA is not in the business of closing airports. They look at the necessity of airports and spend their time and money improving and upgrading airports to make them safer for air travel. The FAA prioritizes the airports that need improvements and upgrades and do their best to assist the owners of these airport in making the necessary investments to modernize and upgrade there facilities. The Kalispell City Airport is scheduled for a complete overhaul. Will big jets be landing at the upgraded and improved Kalispell City airport? The Kalispell City airport currently has a runway weight bearing capacity of approximately 12,500 pounds. It has been that way since 1986 when the runway received a new overlay of asphalt. Any aircraft that exceed this weight limit are advised not to land at the Kalispell City airport. For several years the City airport has been frequented by the Cessna Citation I which is a twin engine jet aircraft. This aircraft's maximum takeoff weight is 11,850 pounds and is within the weight limit of the airport. The Beech King Air C90 has a maximum takeoff weight of 9,650 pounds and is legal to use the City airport but, a Beech King Air 200 would be at or over the maximum weight limits today. The Kalispell City airport does not plan to provide the services that most expensive jet aircraft require at airports they frequent. The City airport does not now or do they plan in the future to provide 24/7 service. Most jets want their aircraft hangared and services 24/7. We do not plan to provide that service at the City airport. Most jets require a minimum of 5,000 feet length on any runway they use. We will never exceed 4,700 feet now or in the future at City airport. The approach speed limits and the weight limits will eliminate 95 % of the aircraft in the current jet fleet. Commercials jets, never. A 727 would weight 160,000 lbs, a 737 would weight 150,000 #. And those are the lightweights. Why upgrade and improve the Kalispell City airport, it is fine just life it is. The City airport is not just fine as it is. It is an old airport in bad need of upgrades and improvements to meet minimum FAA standards. The runway and taxiways are cracked and in need of replacement. The lighting system is 1950's vintage and need upgraded. We are having a tough time trying to find replacement equipment to keep it running for the next couple of years. There is no landing guidance system to assist the pilots in their approaches. This alone will cut down on the noise level considerably. The runways and taxiways do not have the necessary safety zones built in. Both ends of the main runway do not have the runway protection zones built into the area surrounding the approach and departure corridors. The runway end marking lights are the same vintage as the runway lights. The taxiways do not have lights, they have home built reflectors we make ourselves. The airport is not completely fenced to keep deer, dogs and other animals off the runway and taxiways. There are still some through -the -fence operations going on at the airport. This is where private property owners are utilizing the public airport from their own businesses and not paying to support the airport. The FAA will fund 95% of the upgrades mentioned above. There is State Grant money available to pay up to 50% of the remaining 5% the City will have to come up with to complete this project. Also, the FAA will allocate $150,000 each and every year after the improvements are put in to help maintain the improvements they helped fund. This money is to insure the airport will remain in good condition. What sort of buffer do we have around the Kalispell City Airport to protect residential homes? Currently we do not have much of a buffer on the north end of the airport, however, the planned upgrade moves the end of the runway almost 1,000 feet south of its current location. That will put the runway protection zone (buffer zone) entirely on airport property. By turning the runway alignment 5.5 degrees southwest, it will put the traffic pattern more in line with commercial property and less in line with residential and Legend Field. With the installation of a PAPI for approach and glide slope guidance, it will keep aircraft higher and thus creating less noise. On the west side of the airport the buffer is Begg Park and the Wastewater Treatment Plant along Airport Road. On the east side of the airport the buffer area is Highway 93 and commercial property. However, the commercial property does run up to one foot from the edge of the current taxiway. With the realignment of the new runway there will be several hundred feet of clear area on the airport before reaching commercial property. Also, security fencing will protect all areas around the airport from incursions. On the south end of the proposed realignment there is 40 acres of city owned property on the south side of Cemetery Road that is used for dumping and spreading sludge from the WWTP. This piece of property is a requirement from DEQ and the EPA. It can never be built on or done away with as long as the WWTP is in operation. This gives a huge buffer for the airport beyond the runway protection zone that is designed in on the south end of the runway. There will never be homes built on this property. Currently there is a road that crosses the centerline of the runway on the south end. Aircraft could be flying 50' above those vehicles at times.