Business strong at WM Airport

Business strong at WM Airport

Traffic, fuel sales high as new year begins

news@theeveningtimes.com

The West Memphis Airport thrives as a gas station for the sky. Many corporate business travels, celebrities, and air ambulances services like the location nestled next to the Bluff City. Almost always pilots opt to top off the tanks before hopping to the next stop.

The airport commission heard fuels sales reports and laid plans to shop around for AvGas (aviation gasoline) and jet fuel suppliers. Jet fuel has been outselling AvGas almost two-to-one. The current contract with Shell expired in July and the airport has continued month-to month.

Airport Manager Candra Suiter made the fuel sales report and talked about requests for proposal’s going out this week during the January meeting.

Just how much fuel ran through the airport pumps the last month of 2016?

“Credit card transactions for the month of December were $104,981,” reported Suiter. “We purchased two loads of jet fuel in December and one of AvGas. That left us with $36,720.”

Noting the monthly arrangement with the current fuel providers, Suiter put forward the recommendation to shop around for a contracted supplier.

The airport manager pointed to competitive supplies programs from alternate providers and wanted the options considered.

“Its time we go ahead and do requests for proposals,” said Suiter. “There are pros and cons and we need to revisit what’s offered. Some of the different ones have good incentives going right now. We’ve been wanting to look at those too.”

The commission appointed a subcommittee to review the RFPs and make a recommendation for the entire commission to consider.

Airport engineers with ETI, Stacey Morris and Steve Hooper, provided current project status to commissioners. The next master plan awaits a nod from the Army Corps of Engineers. Some of the ground around the airport is classified as wetlands allowing the Corps a say so in airport maintenance and construction projects. Fencing, concerns about adjacent tree height, control tower demolition and south apron expansion remain on the to-do list.

By John Rech