Changes are coming to the McCall Municipal Airport.
The McCall City Council recently voted to approve the new airport master plan, which features some significant improvements.
Findings and development plans
Wayne Reiter of T-O Engineers went over the airport master plan study findings, which he said included input from staff and the community and facility requirements.
The first finding was to increase the length of the runway to 6,510 feet. This would be 400 feet longer than the runway is now. There was also feedback about a need for snow storage, increased demand for hangers, removing “numerous obstructions” such as trees, addressing pavement conditions, and more.
[What’s the future of McCall’s airport? City looking at next steps]
Next, Reiter got into the proposed developments, some of which he said have already started.
The list includes taxi lane and hanger development on the infield, constructing a new E-W taxiway, reconstructing transit apron, pavement maintenance, and moving ASOS, or Automated Surface Observing System, to the south. Other proposed developments are building a fire fighting pad, installing wildlife fencing, constructing airfield geometry upgrades, making a new GA terminal area, and extending the runway to the south.
Phasing
The development can not all happen at once and will be phased out largely due to funding. Reiter said the first phase will include what’s needed most.
Phase one will involve the construction of Taxiway D, starting infield hanger development, fixing up the runway, reconstructing the transient apron, rehabbing the hanger area taxiway pavement, reconfiguring taxiways A1, A1, B1, and the blast pad, and replacing the runway lighting.
Phase two would include getting land for ASOS, the runway extension, and the GA terminal. Additionally listed are pavement maintenance, obstruction removal, updating the master plan again, and more.
Phase three includes the environmental assessment for runway extension, extending the runway, providing more pavement maintenance, GA terminal construction, and acquiring land for the SH55 triangle.
Though this is a lot of growth, this does not mean commercial flights will regularly come and go from McCall anytime soon.
“You can be assured that we’re probably not going to see commercial air service here in the next 20 years,” Reiter said about scheduled commercial air services.
The cost estimate summary showed the projects costing a little over $38.7 million total, with $2.2 million of the funding coming from the city.
