More planes could be landing at the Silver Springs Airport if the Federal Aviation Administration approves a contract for a new weather system, access road and airplane parking area.
The Lyon County commissioners have approved a $50,290 contract to PBS&J Inc. to provide management for the project and a $797,007 contract to Sierra Nevada Construction Inc. of Reno, to do the work. Both contracts are contingent on approval by the Federal Aviation Administration, which is supplying much of the funding. Other funding is from a Community Development Block Grant.
Jim Clegue, senior project manager for PBS&J, said he expected approval within two to five weeks and expected to begin work right away. Construction should take about two months.
The weather system, the Automated Weather Observation System, is an electronic weather station situated at the airport that pilots can contact through their radios or by phone to determine wind speed and direction, air temperature and barometric pressure, said Kay Bennett, co-manager of the airport. She added that pilots would use the system when landing or taking off, and it was especially important for them to have that ability at night.
"With this project, we can land and have more airplanes on the airport, we can make it easier for pilots to access this airport in a safe way and easier for the public to access the airport," she said.
The original contract was to be for $83,000 and was to include design of a waterline and fuel tanks, but the FAA opted not to fund that part of the project.
Bennett said the airport would pursue grants from the Nevada Commission on Economic Development to pay for the fire suppression water line and also would seek Rural Development Authority grants to pay for a fueling system.
• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@ nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment