Airport directors offer their advice

Handling snow, flat tires on planes and more were discussed at conference

Jay Brain, an Arkansas Department of Aeronautics commissioner, calls for a vote on a grant request during the 23rd annual Arkansas Airport Operators Association Conference on Tuesday at Arkansas Convention Center in Texarkana. Tuesday was the third and final day of the conference.
Jay Brain, an Arkansas Department of Aeronautics commissioner, calls for a vote on a grant request during the 23rd annual Arkansas Airport Operators Association Conference on Tuesday at Arkansas Convention Center in Texarkana. Tuesday was the third and final day of the conference.

Airport officials from throughout the Natural State, learned some useful tips from other airport officials during the third and final day of the 23rd annual Arkansas Airport Operators Association Conference here Thursday.

Texarkana Regional Airport Director Mark Mellinger served as one of four panelists for the one of the conference's final sessions, titled "Airports Helping Airports."

For most of the 90-minute session, the panel took questions from an audience of fellow airport managers, who collected inside the Holiday Inn Arkansas-Convention Center.

Regarding advice for light snow removal at southern Arkansas airports, Mellinger said a rotating snow broom would be best for dusting an airport's main runway, while panelist Glen Barentine, who manages Hot Springs Memorial Field, advised using a small street sweeper.

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As for having to tow aircraft that experience flat tires before take off, panelist Doug Hale, who manages the Pine Bluff Grider Field, advised using a Kabota tractor to move a small single-engine aircraft.

Besides airplane towing, Hale also told other directors that it would be wise to conduct mock emergency exercises at all of Arkansas' 91 airports-at least once ever three years regardless of airport size.

"The very first thing to consider while conducting emergency exercises is safety followed by securing the crash site for proper investigation," he said.

Mellinger announced that the Texarkana Airport will be conducting emergency exercises on Oct. 21 and he invited any and all airport directors to come back to the Twin Cities and watch if they get a chance.

"Usually, these types of exercises involve practice with mock plane crashes, but this year, we are adding a bomb threat," he said.

Regarding questions about conducting routine airport safety inspections, Barentine said these procedures would include checking to make sure all the runway lights are working at night, in addition to making sure the runway's markings are well visible in the day. He also stressed watching out for wildlife that crosses in front of either a departing or returning aircraft.

In other business, the next session focused on the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics. Jim Chism, the department's director, announced that the Hope Municipal Airport received nearly $17,400 in Airport Improvement Program grant funds to aid in paying for taxiway lighting installations.

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