The ONZ "Tetrahedron" 

Runway 4-22 Closes for Rehabilitation

By John Lawson, Airport Manager

This long-awaited project is finally on takeoff roll! The runway was closed August 18 at 0900 for an estimated 44 calendar days (although some weather delays have added about 3-5 days to that schedule as of this writing). The scope of work includes a new concrete surface, new runway lighting, a PAPI to replace the VASIs on Runway 4, relocation of the Runway 22 PAPIs to the left side, and stormwater drainage and runway safety area improvements. 

The threshold for Runway 35 has been temporarily relocated 910 feet in order to allow the contractor to work on the approach end of Runway 4 and the runway safety area at the south end of the airport. Runway available for takeoff and landing will be reduced by that amount for the duration of the threshold relocation. Temporary runway markings and lighting are in place and the PAPIs are out of service. The southernmost portion of Taxiway C will be closed, so aircraft desiring to take off on Runway 35 will have to use Taxiway F and backtaxi.

Concerns have been expressed about the condition of the interior taxiways, especially “C” taxiway. We worked with the FAA and State Aeronautics Department to get funding to do both the runway and taxiways at the same time. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough available for this year, but the State informed us recently that they plan to program the funds to resurface the taxiways during next year’s construction season. Watch the Airport newsletter for updates on this!

Appropriate NOTAMs and announcements on the AWOS are posted, and updates are provided to Seaway Aviation as they occur. Check frequently for changes. Feel free to call the Airport Administrative Office at 734 675 0155 if you have any questions about the project, we appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding while the project is in progress.

JOIN THE YANKEE AIR MUSEUM!  

www.arrowenergy.com	www.yankeeairmuseum.org	www.phillips66aviation.com

Payment Drop Box Now Available 

A payment drop box is now available in front of Town Hall. You can pay your hangar rent and other bills to the Airport and the Township by using the box any time, night or day. Please, no cash; Please mark “Airport Payment” on the outside of the envelope and indicate the reason for the payment on the check, along with your account or hangar number. Payments will be posted next business day. 

Partnership Now Available

1/3 share in a partnership for a Cessna 150, $15/hr direct operating cost, other costs shared as occur. N10823 VFR, TT 3500 hrs, 5 gph, hangared at Grosse Ile, many updates and new equipment, call Al for details at 734 692 7374 or see Paul (one of the partners) at Brooklynair, 734 692 6424.

Stuff that Pilots Can Use  

I thought I would use a bit of space in the newsletter to pass on items that pilots would find useful and interesting. For example: the Michigan Bar Association has an Aviation Law Section. On its web site at http://www.michbar.org/aviation/ . The Section publishes the “Innermarker”, a randomly-published newsletter with articles about legal issues. For example, the December 2003 issue has an article by Rick Durden (a Grand Rapids-based attorney who also writes for the AvWeb site at www.avweb.com)  about “Regulatory Myths.” Some of the myths that he debunks (paraphrased from his article):

A pilot who reads back a clearance incorrectly, flies the aircraft per the incorrect clearance, and violates a regulation is “off the hook” if the air traffic controller did not catch the pilot’s mistake in reading it back. Not true, according to an FAA interpretive rule.

If you declare an emergency, you have to report it to the FAA and file a report. Not true, unless your actions resulted in a deviation.

You have to report any and all accidents to the FAA. Not true, however there are more stringent State regulations in place regarding accident reporting.

Go to the Aviation Law Section’s web page and click on the link for the “Inner Marker” for more details. A disclaimer: the information in that issue was current as of December 2003, but may have changed since then. 

Speaking of AvWeb, it’s an excellent twice-weekly on-line web site that has a lot of general aviation-oriented news. Go to www.avweb.com and see for yourself, the “Columns” section is particularly useful.

Great Lakes Aviation Conference Schedule Now On Line

The 2005 Great Lakes International Aviation Conference will be held at the Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan on January 20-22. This event, entering its fifth year, offers something for everyone with over 160 breakout sessions and seminars/lectures: 

* IA Renewal Sessions Two Days, 8 Hours per day
* Pilot Seminars 
* Maintenance Seminars 
* Airport Managers and FBO Seminars 
* Avionics Presentations 
* Aircraft Builder Programs 
* Aircraft Ownership

Other lecturers include:
* Greg Feith (former NTSB investigator)
* Ron Machado (well-known flight instructor and columnist)
* Julie Clark (we all know who she is!)
* Catherine (Cathe') Fish - Flying Companion Seminar
* John and Martha King (of King Schools fame)

Conference events will be held at the Lansing Center. For more information, go to the conference web site at www.greatlakesaviationconference.com/. 

News From Our Flight Instructors

Bill Kuehnel passed on these photos and information about some of our ONZ flight students. Thank you, Bill!

Mike Kostovski, 34, of Dearborn earns Private Pilot License

In the summer of 2002, Mike walked into Seaway Aviation’s trailer with his wife. He was greeted by Bill Humphrey Sr, who said, “What can we 

do for you, kid?” Bill then took him for a ride and introduced him to his instructor, Bill Kuehnel. On September 12, 2004, Mike became a private pilot. He looks forward to working with Bill on his IFR certification. 

Mike is a teacher at Fordson High School in Dearborn. He’s currently working on his Masters degree in Sport Administration. He scored a grade of 100% on his private pilot knowledge test. 

Dan Homolek, 17, of Woodhaven earns Private Pilot License

Dan received his private pilot certificate on August 6, 2004. A 2004 graduate of Woodhaven High School, Dan will be attending Western Michigan University for a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Flight Science, and eventually pursue a career as an airline pilot. Dan has flown for four years at Seaway Aviation with his awesome CFI, David Brodoski.

Matt Jamison, 29, of Gibraltar – first solo flight

Matt has been involved in boating his entire life and decided to extend his means of transportation. Part owner of a family-owned CNC machine chop, he has always been interested in aviation. Matt obtained his airframe mechanic’s license back in 1997 and is on his way to getting his private pilot’s license. Matt made his first solo flight on August 6, 2004, thanks to his CFI, Bill Kuehnel and Seaway Aviation.

William (Bill) Mott – new student pilot

Bill says he retired from Ford Motor Company 7 1/2 years ago and found that boating and golf didn’t take up enough of his time. So he decided to take up flying. He, his wife, and daughter are Island residents of eight years.

Congratulations from the Airport to all four of you, and thank you for choosing Grosse Ile!

AOPA Seminar Scheduled for ONZ!

We’re pleased to announce that ONZ has been selected for the next Detroit-area seminar that AOPA will be holding. Watch the newsletter and the AOPA web site www.aopa.org for details! 

The New Guy On Board

Interns come, and interns go, all fondly remembered, and Joe Wierzbicki is no exception. Joe recently completed slightly more than a year of service with us and is now headed to other, greener pastures. Joe arrived shortly before last year’s Air Extravaganza and jumped right into things. He was a tremendous help to us and we’ll miss him, but we wish him well and “good luck” in his new job. 

Replacing Joe will be Mr. Michael O’Brien, from Lansing Illinois (pictured above). Mike is a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management. He has a private pilot’s license and has considerable experience in computer hardware and software. He is seeking a career in airport management and is demonstrating a great deal of enthusiasm and energy. He’s already been a great help to us in the office and we look forward to working with him for another year or so!

Aircraft Maintenance Issues

Recently there’s been a lot of discussion at the Airport about aircraft maintenance providers and who is/is not authorized to work on aircraft here. An article in the July 2003 newsletter addressed these issues and it appears appropriate at this time to reiterate them.

Airports use minimum standards to ensure a “level playing field” for everyone operating an aeronautically-related business. The standards, according to the FAA, should promote safety in all airport activities, maintain a higher quality of service for airport users, protect airport users from unlicensed and unauthorized products and services, enhance the availability of adequate services for all airport users, and promote the orderly development of airport land.

In the case of ONZ, the standards require that businesses operate in a fixed location with adequate space, cover themselves with adequate liability insurance, have a Township business license, and sign an operating agreement that requires them to make a contribution to the operating expenses of the Airport. 

The Airport minimum standards are available at http://www.grosseileairport.com/minstds.htm or a copy can be obtained from the Airport Administration Office. 

We encourage the use of our on-airport aeronautical businesses because of their commitment to providing services here and the financial investment they put into the airport’s facilities and operations. At this time, the authorized businesses are:

Brooklynair – flight training, aircraft rental, and aircraft sales
MaxAir Aviation – aircraft maintenance
Seaway Aviation – fuel sales, aircraft rental, flight training, aircraft maintenance

We are seeking additional aeronautical businesses to operate here and would like to hear from anyone who would like to submit a proposal. We have land available for the construction of hangars and spaces available for renovation in Hangar 1.

The following is reprinted from the July 2003 newsletter, with some clarifications.

Q: The off-airport mechanic I use got a letter from you saying that he couldn’t work on my plane any more. Why?

A: He was performing work-for-hire here even though he doesn’t comply with any of the minimum operating standards established for the airport. Those standards, which were written in accordance with FAA airport compliance standards, can be found at www.grosseileairport.com. The standards for maintenance providers include the requirement to have insurance and name the airport as an additional insured, to have an operating agreement with the airport and pay the appropriate fee, to have the appropriate license with the Township, and to have at least 2,000 square feet of shop space or to operate under a contract with an airport FBO. The mechanic to whom I sent the letter meets none of those requirements, even though he’s been aware of them for a number of years.

Q: Don’t I have the right to get anyone I want to work on my airplane, regardless of where they are based?

A: Certainly, as long as they meet the standards. The person to whom I wrote the letter does not meet the standards.

Q: Don’t the standards just protect the FBO(s) on the airport from competition? They seem too stringent and narrow.

A: No. First, a mechanic has choices – he can work under contract for an already-existing FBO or maintenance shop, or he can set up his own maintenance shop by renting or building space here. There’s nothing unreasonable about requiring a mechanic to operate out of suitable shop space - it makes for a safer and more efficient operation. Any maintenance business that can meet our standards is welcome to come to the airport and set up shop. 

Our aeronautical businesses (including the maintenance providers) pay for overhead (ground rent, hangar/shop space utilities and maintenance, operating agreement with the airport, insurance, etc). It is not fair or appropriate to let an itinerant mechanic “off the hook” for those same expenses. 

Maintenance operations (or the people from whom they rent space) invest a considerable amount of money in capital improvements on the airport (for example, any hangars they build will revert to the ownership of the airport upon expiration of the ground lease, or they pay rent for a building that someone else has constructed). This ultimately benefits our tenants, in that it keeps the airport growing and fiscally solvent. 

On the other hand, an itinerant maintenance provider has little or none of those costs to worry about, contributes nothing to the operation and improvement of the airport, and makes no capital improvements to the airport. 

Q: A mechanic should be able to come on the airport and do business just like anyone else. Why should he have to pay to come on the airport?

A: The airport runs on its own revenues and depends on its users to survive and improve. We don’t get a dime of money from the taxpayers unless they actually use the airport and every bit of our revenues are plowed back into the airport, either for operating expenses, maintenance, or improvements. Why should someone be allowed to operate a business on the airport when they don’t contribute to its maintenance and improvement? It’s similar to what a shopping mall does - it charges people for the use of its spaces and for the privilege of doing business. 

Q: This is going to drive up the cost of maintenance to the point where I can’t afford it. I’ll have to take my business to another airport, if you’re going to continue with this.

A: Competition between airports for aircraft maintenance business and other aeronautical services is a fact of life, especially at small airports, where having only one or two maintenance providers is common. An aircraft owner may have to choose between a mechanic at another airport, and one at his home airport, based on a number of factors (including price). 

However, you’ll find that the majority of airports in the US have some sort of minimum standards and the providers there have similar overhead costs. Even those airports without a fixed maintenance operation will require many of the same things that we do: an operating agreement or lease to pay for the privilege of doing business here, insurance, etc, which drives up the prices a maintenance provider must charge. 

Also, we are constantly looking for additional aeronautical businesses (including maintenance providers) in order to give our tenants more choices and increase competition. If anyone knows of a potential business, please tell us, we’d love to talk with them!

Q: I’m not happy about this. I still think I should be able to choose whomever I want to work on my plane, and I’d like to bring this to someone’s attention. What can I do?

A: We always appreciate and value your comments and suggestions. You are welcome to attend our Airport Commission meetings, normally held the second Wednesday evening of each month. You can also write to the Airport Commission, C/O Grosse Ile Municipal Airport, PO Box 129, Grosse Ile MI 48138 or via fax at 734 675 0932, or email at jlawson@grosseileairport.com. Specific ideas and suggestions to modify the airport’s operating standards should be submitted in writing to me. I will pass your letter to the Commission members and we’ll give them serious consideration. 

Historic WW II Officers Club

Overnight and Long Term Lodging

734-671-2295 Art Cortis

Met Life Blimp Visits Grosse Ile

The “Met Life” blimp moored at our Airport during the Ryder Cup golf matches. It gave us some memorable overhead views of the Oakland Hills golf course!

Set up Easy Rent Payments

Hangar tenants and commercial operators are eligible to have rent payments debited from any bank account. We can set you up with automatic debit. It’s easy and safe. Just ask the Airport office for an Authorization for Automatic Debit form. We’ll have you set up in no time. Then you won’t have to remember to pay your rent—and no more late fees!

Tenants: Notification of Changes

Is your information up-to-date with the Airport? Let us know of any changes of aircraft, email, addresses, or telephone. Got a cell phone number to give us?

"Working with you to provide the energy that propels aviation"

Arrow Energy, a Nationwide Independent Supplier of Aviation Fuels, and Phillips 66 are sponsors of The ONZ ‘Tetrahedron’ newsletter.

Arrow Energy’s distribution network has grown to over 150 terminals nationwide. Their customers include FBOs, corporate flight departments, specialty airlines, cargo operators, ag-operators, and hospital med-flights.

Grosse Ile Airport thanks them for their support.

For more information, visit www.arrowenergy.com, call 1-800-968-2853, or email info@arrowenergy.com.

Airport Commission  

Chairman	Robert Harris
Vice Chair	Joe Lemanski
Trustee	Les Neal
Commissioners:	Tom Dunne
	Jim Lowlor
	Jim Weaks
	Tom Burkhart

Meetings are held in the Grosse Ile Township Board Room, 9601 Groh Rd., 2nd floor, Grosse Ile, Michigan 48138.

Airport Staff

Administration

 John Lawson – Airport Manager, A.A.E.

Caryn Johnson – Office Coordinator

 Mike O'Brien – Acting Assistant Manager  

Maintenance

Lyle Eastom—Supervisor/Leading Chief

Rodney Eastom

Gerald “Jerry”  Dionne

Jim Farrell

Airport Administration Office

Office – 734-675-0155

Fax – 734-675-0932

Web—www.grosseileairport.com  

For previous online newsletters, please click here or visit the other Grosse Ile Airport links below.

Airport Web Site & Newsletter Distribution

Check the Airport web site for lots of updated information.  Airport Commission agendas and meeting minutes are available also, as are fuel prices, tenant info, forms, and rules and operating standards. They are updated regularly, so visit www.grosseileairport.com and be informed.

If you know of anyone who would like to receive the newsletter, contact the Airport office.  And, thank you for reading this issue of the Grosse Ile Airport newsletter!  

Rights reserved to correct errors or omissions.