Northeast Iowa Regional Airport annual report notes progress, needs

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A new $3.1 million taxiway expected to be completed this fall will be the latest improvement to the Northeast Iowa Regional Airport, and is one of a number of projects that have been done this year.

​​Airport Manager Bill Kyle gave his annual status report on the airport at the North Cedar Aviation Authority meeting recently. The aviation authority is the three-person board that operates the airport.

Kyle’s annual report is a broad look at what’s new at the airport, as well as the condition of existing facilities and equipment, and recommendations for future changes and projects.

The report this year again expresses the need to expand the airport’s main runway length by 500 feet to 5,500 feet, and its width to 100 feet, to accommodate increased jet traffic. It also includes the goal of paving the current grass crosswind runway.

Improvements and projects listed for the past year or so include:

• The taxiway project, a $3.1 million expense being paid entirely by the federal government to replace a taxiway that was too close to the main runway, that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wanted moved for safety reasons, and that was in deteriorating condition.

“The parallel taxiway (and) ramp entrance is being rebuilt to current standards this summer and is going to be a huge upgrade to the facility,” Kyle wrote. “It has new lighting and the wiring to the runway lights, weather station, REIL (runway end identifier lights) and PAPIs (precision approach path indicator system) is being replaced as part of the project.”

• Hangar One, the office/shop building, has a new furnace/air conditioner installed just this month.

“The office and classroom have been repainted and redecorated and look very nice,” Kyle reported. “LED lighting was installed in the entire building and has proven to be very efficient. The FBO (fixed base operator) is in a cleaning and redecorating mode at this time to update the look and feel of the office. The next room for upgrade will be the transit pilot’s lounge.

Kyle is also president of Charles City Aeronautics, which is the Charles City airport’s FBO — the company that has been given authority by the North Cedar Aviation Authority to provide aviation services at the airport such as fueling, maintenance and repair, pilot training, charter services, etc. Kyle is also president of North Iowa Air Service, the FBO at the Mason City airport, and Central Iowa Air Service, the FBO at the Ames airport.

• The septic tank was replaced within the past two months and a new drain system installed in the shop. Money to fund this project was available with the FAA COVID-19 grants.

• The emergency power generator currently serving the airport will be replaced with a generator that the airport is getting from Floyd County, that is being replaced at the courthouse as part of the new law enforcement center and courthouse update project.

Needed improvements, updates and other projects include:

• The main runway, runway 12/30, needs to be extended.

“The runway length and width are now critical. This runway needs to be lengthened to 5,500 ft. and widened to 100 ft. to remain a jet runway. Plans right now are on hold for the lengthening,” Kyle wrote.

“This runway is currently long enough for the mix of airplanes based at KCCY (the designation for the Charles City airport)  however, the airplane mix is trending toward bigger and faster airplanes, so the need for the longer runway will again arise,” he said.

• Runway 22/04 was one of the original runways built in 1946. Although currently closed for the taxiway project, the runway is in great shape for a grass runway, Kyle wrote.

“The great need here is to get this runway paved to 4,000 x 75 ft. as a crosswind reliever. In general, the strongest winds we have favor 22/04,” Kyle wrote.

• The sinks in the men’s and women’s restrooms should be replaced, and the men’s room needs new flooring.

• Hangar Three (the “middle hangar”) is in need of full insulation and heat in order to house a Cessna Citation CJ3 jet now located at the airport. The FBO will pay for this upgrade, then all the hangars at the airport will be heated. The hangar should also have a small emergency walk-in door installed in the bifold door to provide access when ice build-up prevents the walk-in door from being used, Kyle wrote.

The status report also gives an accounting of other infrastructure and equipment at the airport, with most of it in good condition.

It did note that with a new taxiway a larger truck-mounted snow-blower will be needed, “and we hope to have good news on a replacement within the year,” Kyle wrote.