Airport Group Studies Inventory, Aviation Forecasts

June 14, 2013

June 12--The second of five planned study sessions regarding the Tacoma Narrows Airport master plan update was held Thursday at Cottesmore of Life Care in Gig Harbor.

The afternoon meeting involved the Planning Advisory Committee, made up of representatives from the aviation community, business, local and state government, and it focused on the airport's inventory and aviation forecasts.

"We're all in this together," said Deb Wallace, the county's airport and ferry administrator. "We're trying to work this out. We truly are interested in your opinion."

That sentiment was echoed by Wendy Renier, senior airport planner with WHPacific, the architecture and engineering company Pierce County is working with on the design phase of the airport.

"This is your plan or vision for how you want to develop this airport," said Renier, who handled the bulk of the presentation.

The airport's master plan is being updated for the first time since the county purchased the airport from the City of Tacoma in 2008. Tacoma completed the last master plan in 2003. The updated plan will identify potential airport projects, viable alternatives and possible environmental impacts, and it will recommend a plan of action for the next 20 years.

The Tacoma Narrows Airport is 568 acres and includes 132 based aircraft. It includes 48,500 operations a year, more than 4,000 per month. The airport consists of a single runway 5,002 feet long and 150 feet wide, and it's being reduced to 100 feet wide.

"That gives you an idea this is a pretty busy airport," Renier said.

Yet it's a far cry from the peak 90,000 takeoffs and landings at the airport prior to the Great Recession and the economic recovery.

"There was a time when operations were much busier at Tacoma Narrows," Renier said.

According to preliminary economic forecasts for the next 20 years, officials are predicting 65,000 operations at the Tacoma Narrows Airport by 2023.

Warren Hendrickson, the aviation and ferry planner for Pierce County Public Works and Utilities, was a little more blunt.

"This is the new normal," he said.

As for the pre-recession glory days of the airport: "Doesn't look like it's in the cards," Hendrickson said.

The question is how best to position the airport to deal with a less-busy airport, he said.

"What (aircraft) mix is that going to be?" Hendrickson asked. "What facilities will that require? When we look at tenants, that's how we're going to have to market this airport."

Still, Renier saw the glass as half-full.

"Truly, this is a very positive scenario," Renier said, especially when it's compared with previous reports of a shrinking industry.

Renier characterized the recent more positive numbers as "slower growth."

The Federal Aviation Administration is forecasting a 0.2 percent drop in single-engine piston aircraft operations and a 3 to 5 percent increase in business jet operations.

A major part of the master plan process at the Tacoma Narrows Airport likely will involve lengthening the runway an additional 600 to 1,000 feet. Such an increase would allow business jets to depart fully fueled, and that would increase their nonstop range. Currently, many business jets can't take off fully fueled. Each time a jet stops for additional fuel, cycle costs -- an additional takeoff and landing -- add several hundreds of dollars in fuel and time.

Renier emphasized the county is focusing on business jet traffic, not commercial airliners.

Some airport neighbors fear a longer runway will be an invitation for airlines to begin service at the Tacoma Narrows Airport. Hendrickson said it's important to over-rely on forecasts related to the airport, but also to consider the best plan for what types of facilities the community wants and how to make that happen.

"I would just say it's up to us," he said. "Ultimately, the ball is in our court."

The master plan is tentatively scheduled to take about 18 months, with FAA approval of forecasts in July, the county's selection of a preferred development alternative in December and publishing the final report in May 2014.

Reporter Brett Davis can be reached at 253-358-4151 or by email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter, @gateway_brett.

Copyright 2013 - The Peninsula Gateway (Gig Harbor, Wash.)