Merrill Field (MRI)- Past, Present, and Future By D. Ralph Gibbs, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

“Merrill Field (MRI)- Past, Present, and Future”

By

• D. Ralph Gibbs, Ph. D.

Airport Manager March 7, 2019 donald.gibbs@anchorageak.gov

Overview

 Who are we?  “In the beginning…”  Today  Operations  Fiscal  Airport Improvement Programs (AIP)  Airport Management  MRI-Part of MOA  Concluding Remarks

MRI-Who are we?

 Second busiest airport in Alaska! Second only

to Ted Stevens IAP.

 Economic Engine for Anchorage and Alaska  Given the paucity of Alaskan road systems,

flight operations out of MRI is the only way to transport people and cargo to many interior locations.

Courtesy: Anchorage Museum of History and Art

 Established in 1930  Anchorage had 4,000 residents  Moved from the Delaney Park Strip to its

current location

 In 1932, renamed from “Aviation Field” to “Merrill

Field” in memory of Russell Hyde Merrill

 Mr. Merrill died in an airplane crash in Cook Inlet in

September 1929.

 Pioneered the first air routes to the Kuskokwim

region.

“In the Beginning…”

Merrill Field Landfill

 Unsupervised dump until 1952  Opened by the City as a controlled

landfill in 1952

Courtesy: Anchorage Museum of History and Art

“In the Beginning…”

• MRI Land Area = 436 acres
• Three Runways = 07/25; 16/34; 05/23
• Taxiways=19
• Apron = 102 Acres
• Longest Runway = 4,000 feet
• Physical plant includes RWY, TWY, Aprons,

Roadways, Utilities, Equipment & Buildings = $49M

• MRI maintains 3 miles of roadway and 6 miles of

storm drain

Assets Over the Landfill: Roads: 5,650 LF Taxiways;: 7,150 LF Aprons: 55 Acres Gravel-Ski Runway

MRI Today

MRI Today

MRI Operations

 Alaska’s first official airport  1 registered pilot for every 58 residents in

Alaska

 41 percent of the state’s population lives in

Anchorage

 Merrill Field is an integral part of Alaska’s

transportation network

MRI Operations

 MRI is classified as a Non-Hub Primary

Airport

 More than 10,000 enplanements but less than

0.05% of the U.S. total.

 Serves as General Aviation Reliever to

Anchorage International.

MRI Operations

 MRI Total Operations in 2018

 Ranked 86th busiest out of 520 US airports w/

151,400 annual operations.

 Ranked 46th busiest out of all General Aviation

(GA) non-hub airports w/ 151,400 annual

• perations.

 Ranked 45th busiest out of 520 US airports w/

67,453 annual touch-n-go operations. Note: A reflection of high volume flight training

• perations.

MRI Operations

 MRI Operations-Busiest month (July) in

2018

 Ranked 49th busiest out of 520 US airports w/

20,103 annual operations.

 Ranked 20th busiest out of all General Aviation

(GA) non-hub airports w/ 20,103 annual

• perations.

 Ranked 33rd busiest out of 520 US airports w/

7,980 annual touch-n-go operations. Note: A reflection of high volume flight training

• perations.

MRI Operations

 Statewide 2018 annual airport operations

 Ted Stevens-275,189  Merrill Field-151,400  Fairbanks-112,071  Juneau-106,823  Bethel-84,169  Kenai-44,383  Kodiak-34,822  King Salmon-27,811

Note: MRI has ~ 20% of all flight operation within the state

MRI Operations

 Ranked 1st in “based” aircraft in Alaska Merrill Field: 900 aircraft Lake Hood: 781 Fairbanks: 480 Ted Stevens IAP: 150

~10% of the aircraft within the State are

based at MRI

MRI Operations

 Does not fall under FAR Part 139 Rules, i.e.,

“Certification and Operation: Land Airports serving certain carriers.”

 Does not have scheduled FAR Part 121 air

carrier operations.

 Does not have the security requirements of a

certificated airport.

MRI Fiscal

48 Long Term ground leases which support

approximately 50 aviation related businesses

• n the airport.

2,800,000 square feet of leasable land Improvements & maintenance on the lease

lots, including the buildings, are leaseholder responsibility.

MRI Fiscal

85,000 sq. ft. of rentable building space for

property management.

The rate for leased ground is ~$0.212 per

square foot

MRI Fiscal

There are 7 aviation fuel vendors located on

the airport.

Fuel vendors pay a fuel tax of $0.08 per

gallon to the airport.

Combined sales of $750K to $800K of avgas

sold annually.

MRI Fiscal

 There are ~ 900 aircraft based on Merrill

Field

 The airport leaseholders have ~500

aircraft on their lots

The airport manages another ~400

aircraft through individual parking permits

MRI Fiscal

Tie down aircraft parking fees:

Tail-in $60 per month Drive Thru-$70 per month Electrical tail-in $75 per month Electrical Drive Thru-$85 per month

MRI Fiscal

 Main Revenue Sources:  Lease Fees & Property Rentals – 65%  Aircraft & Vehicle Parking Fees – 25%  Aircraft Fuel Flowage Fees – 10%

MRI Fiscal

 Primary Expenditures:  Labor Costs – 60%  Utilities Charges – 15%  Depreciation (Non-Contributed) – 10%  Intergovernmental Charges – 10%  Fuel & Supplies – 5%

MRI Airport Improvement

 MRI Capital budget has been approximately

$2M to $4M per year.

 Sourced by federal grants through the FAA’s

Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

 FAA – 93.25% (was 95%)  MRI Match– 6.75% (was 5% w/state

picking up 2.5%)

MRI Airport Improvement

 MRI had no debt service between 1989 and

2017.

 However, in 2015, the FAA began offering

large infrastructure investments in MRI that required ever increasing matching funds.

MRI Airport Improvement

 2011-$3.96M/ MOA Match $104K  2012-$3.99M/ MOA Match $133K  2013-$1.9M/ MOA Match $65K  2014-$1.6M/ MOA Match $46K  2015-$6.57M/ MOA Match $187K  2016-$8.15M/ MOA Match $438K  2017-$10.8M/ MOA Match $575K  2018-$12.3M/ MOA Match $670K

MRI Airport Improvement

 Capital Improvements including dynamic

compaction.

 2011- Sweeper/vacuum truck, rehab TWY Q

phase 2, & security/lighting upgrade.

 2012-Twy Q and Apron phase 3, and security

improvements phase 2

 2013-Snowblower and runway lighting vault  2014-Master plan phase 2 and Twy Q phase 4

MRI Airport Improvement

 Capital Improvements continued

 2015-security improvements phase 3 and City

Electric property acquisition

 2016-Twy Q phase 5 & Rwy 5/23 lighting  2017-Secuity phase 4, Txy Q phase 6  2018-Txy Q phase 7 and rehab Txy G

MRI Airport Improvement

 Capital Improvements for 2019 (matching

funds permitting)

 Twy C south GA apron, lighting, & signage  Safety and security equipment  Snow removal equipment, i.e., motor grader and

dump truck

 RIMP (Runway Incursion Mitigation Program)

issues & ALP update

MRI Airport Improvement

 AIP for 2019-Continued (matching funds

permitting)

 Sandoval property demolition  Acquire land for development  Merrill Field Drive airport access road repair.  If FAA provides 100% funding w/ no Match.  This project represents $15M upgrade.

Airport Management

 Workforce – 9 full-time employees

responsible for:

 Airport Development

 Management Services  Finance  Leasing of Airport Property, to include

cultivating new lease agreements

Airport Management

 Workforce – (continued)

 Airport Maintenance  Personnel  Public Relations

 Meets with the surrounding neighborhood

Community Councils

 Responds to aircraft noise complaints

Airport Management

 Controls the Airport’s Operating and Capital

Budgets

 Operating costs are the day-to-day expenses  Capital costs are for construction of R/Ws, T/Ws,

Aprons, & Equipment, etc.

Airport Management

Plans for and Implements Airport Development Compiles Airport Master Plan – 20 year planning document approved by FAA Coordinates Airport Improvement Projects which include: Obtaining federal grant funding Contracting for design services and construction

Airport Management

Airport Security

Works with the FAA and local communities to keep the airport safe and secure

Installs and maintains airport fencing and gates

 Airport Maintenance includes-  Snow removal  Pavement crack sealing  Mowing the grass

MRI-Part of MOA

In the Municipality of Anchorage

• Legislative power is vested in the Municipal

Assembly

• Comprised of 11 members representing the

municipality from Girdwood to Eagle River.

• Executive and administrative power vested

in the Mayor.

MRI-Part of MOA

Rules and Regulations for the management

• f MRI are provided by Anchorage Municipal

Code as approved by Assembly Ordinance

Also guided by FAA regulations and the laws

• f the State of Alaska.

MRI-Part of MOA

 Mayor appoints the Merrill Field Airport

Manager

 Mayor also appoints Municipal Airport

Commission (MAAAC) which is comprised

• f 7 members

 All Mayoral appointments are subject to

confirmation by the Municipal Assembly

MRI-Part of MOA

Rules & Regulations for the Management of Merrill Field are stated in the Anchorage Municipal Code as approved by Assembly Ordinance. All mandatory airport fees and charges are codified. Requirements for leasing of airport land is codified.

MRI-Part of MOA

 By Municipal Ordinance – MRI is restricted

to aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or less (except for medevac flight).

Enacted in the 1950’s when Anchorage IAP

initially opened.

Planning to request increase to accommodate

business jets

Seeking investor for a “Million Air-like”

FBO

Concluding Remarks

 The Airport Manager is responsible for all

day-to-day operations of the Airport!!

 Questions?