What would you do if you ran this airport?

spotthepilot

spotthepilot

Initial Climb
Hi Fellow BAC'ers,

I've just fallen into the retirement job I could only fantasize about.

Today I was officially hired as the "Airport Operator" for Hartness State/Springfield Airport in Springfield, VT (KVSF)

This is the oldest airport in Vermont, established in 1920, and has the 2nd longest runway in Vermont at 5,501' x 100'

The crosswind runway is 3,000' x 75' --- both are paved with pilot-controlled lighting and there's a localizer and GPS approach.

66 days after Lindbergh's transatlantic flight, he stopped in Springfield as part of the Guggenheim publicity tour. Pictures in the terminal show thousand of people attended that day, and the 85th anniversary of the occasion is coming up in 20 days. His daughter, Reeve Lindbergh, will be attending. Next weekend (July 3-15) we're hosting the New England Aerobatics championship.

Great little terminal building and lots of relatively (for the region) inexpensive hangar space.

Once upon a time this was a very busy airport with both daily commuter air service to Boston, Albany, and NYC, and General Aviation business aircraft based here that kept the place hoppin' from 4 am to 10 pm.

All that is gone.

Today we saw 4 takeoffs and landings. Yesterday only one transient takeoff, plus 6 glider tows. VSF is the home to New England Soaring Assn, and the Soaring Club is the most active thing happening here.

So here's my question...there's this jewel of an airport in the heart of the Vermont Green Mountains with infrastructure most airports would kill for.

We have no restaurant, no rental cars, no flight school. We do have an A&P/A&I on the field, but he appears to be throwing in the towel.

I'm starting from near scratch. If this were your airfield, what would you do to revitalize it? I'm thinking BACfest 2013, but I can't wait that long before this place goes into cardiac arrest.

Help me save this wonderful place. I need your ideas.

Larry Perry
'83 Sundowner N65503
 
Hi Larry; Congratulations (I think). That is a big job. Asking BAC is a great start, and I will be first up to toss out ideas. If you can get a bunch of ideas, then some might work out for you and the airport. OBTW, the airport looks great and for the others, here is the AirNav page link. http://www.airnav.com/airport/KVSF
The northeast BAC guys have been very active lately, how about a fly-in. You do get the Atlantic Flyer delivered to the airport right? Good for giveaways. They might publish an article about the airport. Hint, they don't especially like to write stuff, but they love it when someone else subits something to them for puclication. How about AOPA...they have lots of ideas for airports looking to survive, let them know where you stand and they might sugest somethijng. How about letting flight schools in the area know you are looking for activity. They might get their instructors and solo students to put KVSF on their list of favorite places to go for cross-country training flights especially if there is a terminal building to brief/debrief. Is there an internet connection at a flight-planning room? That is pretty much standard by now, but in the case of an airport needing help, needs to be mentioned. Food will be a problem unless there is someone who can deliver, or perhaps an airport crew car for a quick trip to get something. In the end, as you know, friendly people, airport cat, or airport dog, can make or brieak a destination. Thats enough for now, who wlse has ideas for Larry?
 
Definitely need to work up a way to get a car for people. There was some place that featured the unique airport cars that their readers submitted (some were really good, some were real beaters). Flight training seems to be coming into favor again a bit around our airport, we are getting quite a few students driving up from the airforce base wanting to learn how to fly. Do you have a military presence within 100 miles? You may be able to to work a deal with some guys that might have some goverment training $$ available. If you've got full hangers, are any of the renters associated with the EAA? there might be some interest in a local chapter. I only mention it, because that would put you in contact with some people who could organize young eagle flights and get regular folks away from their cell phones and on an airplane, maybe
 
Congrats Larry! As you know I fly up to your area to hike and camp. We always need shuttle service to the trailheads. But some way to plan for rental car delivery is also a need. Food is usually a good draw for flying. A simple burger and dog lunch works. Many charity events are draws. I think a radio controlled airplane demo? Maybe a ugly dog contest to raise SPCA funds? Even a monthly Maple Syrup giveaway would draw us southerners! In the winter time any overnight hangar is important for ski trips.
Paul
 
Congrats Larry - about 100 years ago I did my first dual cross-country and stopped at Springfield. It is beautiful there, please post some pics for us?

PS - it is my dream job too... I'd start with an on-airport restaurant and the cheapest fuel possible.
 
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Fuel,food,service. Hanger space for winter visitors. Join beech talk and Cessna's are us and mention it in there places to visit forums. Fuel needs to stay competitive, Air nav planner has fuel 18 cents cheaper a gallon right now 15 nm east. Why would a transient stop and pay more. Just sayin give them a reason to stop. 4 flights a day will not pay for food overhead.
 
You have quite a few planes on field. Aviation is a fraternity and social interaction is important so people want to go out there and hangar fly (and then fly real planes). See if you can get an FAA pilot refesher course scheduled there. Try to have some evening or weekend activities like pancake breakfasts or evening barbeques. It would help if you have a budget to work with. An airport open house could help. Is it possible you could have a small airshow with one performer and some static displays. Maybe you could find a someone to do Young Eagles flights (take youth for a plane ride). If there are car clubs, have a car show at the airport just to get people out there. Have a hangar dance. O.K., I think I have said too much, but you get the idea.
 
Wow, Larry! I am still nervous having jumped into a (much more humble) airport job as a 2nd career. The pool you jumped into is much deeper. Cool!
OK, I can't offer much more than observations on what I look for in airports I visit.
Restaurant: Great idea but whoever you attract to run it (NOT the airport...can become an albatross) must understand that it is a long climb up and must include community customers in addition to pilots.
Airport car: Nice...if it is safe enough, liability-wise. Massachusetts insurance regs, my boss tells me, make it dangerous and expensive to have one here.
Pilot store: Nearest one to you is, what, Nashua? (Bad example, someone told me he went under??)
A flight school: This is the primary grabber at Northampton where I am now working. My boss worked hard on it but has 7 instructors on tap and we have roster of students currently on the order of 30.
Get the airport fixed in the community's mind by offering to participate in local, non-aviation, events. And keep at it...they have short memories.
I'll send you contact info for my boss. He has done a magnificent job here. (Even if he may have undone it by hiring me.)
 
Don't forget the local schools.
Get the tech school to set up a weather station at the field and monitor it as a field project. Then have the local radio/TV station use the data for their broadcasts; "current temp at Springfield AIRPORT is a balmy 85 degrees"
They may have a trade apprentice division that could do project plane resto/paint job.


Mark
In Oz
 
Find your local FAASTEAM rep (or become one) and start sponsoring free "Wings" seminars or offer to host the CFI refresher course.
 
Hi Larry,

CONGRATS - I'll add this to my short list for trips in the near future...

Good food is about the biggest magnet for traffic that I've found... Pilots gotta eat… On a Saturday or Sunday around me - it's an effort to even find parking on those fields with good chow... Now I realize a traditional restaurant is a big expense and the airport would not want to run it... A couple of cheaper options – maybe someone operates a “Roach Coach” in the area who would be interested in spending a few hours at the airport on a Sat or Sun ? Even a little shack to cook in with some picnic tables could be a big crowd pleaser… A business could specialize in just doing one thing very well… Breakfast burritos – make them big and make them well – the crowds will come… Or just hotdogs – with the same characteristics with tons of toppings… Specializing is the way to go - also – enticing the locals from the area is pretty important for a business to survive…

Get other groups in the community out to the aiport... Maybe there is a car club that does shows in the area... Something like that...

Some other key elements – if people come to the airport – they want to see plane operations… Some of my favorite airports have benches under shade trees like 50 feet from the taxiways… I could spend all day sitting there watching the planes come and go…. I’d try to setup some kind of safe viewing area for the public so they can see the planes takeoff and landings… Piping in the Unicom Freq – adds to the ambiance…

If I head up there now – is there any way to get a meal – or – is it strictly bring your own… Is the town nearby – walking distance ???

Regards,
Scott
 
Get someone in EAA to host a Young Eagles chapter there once a month, then see if the local schools want to use a "free ride in an airplane" under that as an incentive for good grades. Aside from the kids who want to fly coming out, the ones that "win" a ride through hard work are great free publicity on the local news, especially with the certificates, logbooks, and such that the Young Eagles give to young people.

..Joe
 
We have an airport here, X23 (Umatilla) that is also trying to get off the ground (1 RW, 1-19, 2550 ft). The operator there makes it his mission to speak in person with everyone that lands and to have the cheapest gas in the area, bar none (he will also drive you anywhere into town in his car if you really need to be there). He cut a deal with the city to subsidize him for a period of years so that he could offer fuel only slightly above cost, in order to bring in business. I go there often and only once have I been the only plane at the pump. I have been there when there are 3-4 waiting in line. Speak with the city and business leaders in the city to see if they would be willing to subsidize cheap fuel in order to bring in flights, and hopefully business for food, hotels, etc. The area you are in is absolutely beautiful, sell the whole area, not just the airport, and that takes help from the community. Also, the "crew car" in Kissimmee is a Hertz rental that they have a deal with Hertz to exclusively arrange rentals, and have the use of one free crew car.
 
Larry,
I have seen several very small airports work out deals with local car dealerships for courtesy cars. Maybe some free advertising for a vehicle. Offer a space for a sign or a sign in the FBO thanking the dealer for the vehicle. Another small airport grills out hamburgers and hotdogs every Sat and Sun. He announces on frequency when the grill is heating up. I would publish on AOPA events - http://www.aopa.org/pilot/calendar/. Start with grilling once a month and offer the cheapest gas price in the region that day. This would be like a "loss leader" for retail. Good luck!
Doug
 
Back in 2005, our public school (5th grade class) wasn't going to be able to go to space camp like had been the tradition. My daughter was in the 5th grade at that time, and so was another girl whose dad was a ATP for American (I believe). He was able to organize 'airport day' for the 5th graders with static displays and young eagle flights. I helped that year, my plane wasn't in the line up, but I told my daughter who was OK to ride with... Anyway, it's now a staple with the school (approximately 300 students per class). It's been great.
Additionally, our tiny airport (about 15 miles away and all but abandoned) had a guy who built a hanger out there in 2007. He began doing a cookout every other Thursday evening about 3 years ago. It's been really good for that airport, bringing out pilots from up to 100 miles away and once upon a time pilots from the community (suprisingly quite a lot of those).
 
Our local airport got a free car from the county, one of their old county exec cars. Still has county plates on it, so I assume it's a long term loaner to the airport. Borrowers are asked not to smoke in it, and to replace the gas. Plenty of other good ideas submitted previously.

Rap
 
Terrific ideas, everybody... keep 'em coming.

Next weekend KVSF is hosting the New England Aerobatics Championships.

Check NOTAM's before flying in, as RWY 23 will likely have been designated as RIGHT traffic pattern instead of LEFT. RWY 11/29 may be closed by the AIRBOSS, but check NOTAM's to be safe and legal

July 26 will be the 85th anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's visiting VSF 66 days after his transatlantic flight, on July 26, 1927... estimates were that more than 30,000 folks showed up for his arrival in Springfield.

His daughter Reeve Lindbergh will be here for the 85th anniversary celebration.

It would be terrific if any of the BAC members could make it.

Please let me know

cell 802-353-8966
airport-802-886-7500
 
Larry,

A couple more possibilities for airport awareness and publicity in the community:

If the Civil Air Patrol has a squadron or two in the neighboring towns, you could invite them to use your facilities for meetings and practice missions. A very active squadron could have meetings weekly; if that is too often, you could offer space for their less often meetings such as their annual safety meeting. Your terminal space and/or a hangar could be beneficial as a briefing and staging area for CAP practice missions.

The local Boy Scout troop may have some scouts wanting to work on their Aviation Merit Badge. A couple airplanes and pilots on display for them could be helpful.

Bob Prange
Warrenton, VA
KHWY
 
Lots of great ideas already.
- Is the Chamber of Commerce engaged to help market and grow the airport's presence in the community as well as in the region?
- Are the facilities animal friendly? Animal Rescue Flights and Pilots and Paws make frequent trips nearly every weekend to the New England area. A grassy area with a poop bag station add a nice touch.
- A well stocked snack area, paid on the honor system is a welcome sight, especially since I rarely carry much if any change in the plane.
- Clean restrooms should go without saying, but my experience shows that's not the case.
- A flight planning station with full internet service (not just weather views) is nice to find on an en route stop along a cross country flight. Maybe a bit down the road consider adding WiFi, since iPads and other tablets are becoming more and more prevalent and the WiFi will allow for downloading updated flight plans and routes.
- How is the cell-phone coverage on the field?

CB
N24TD
 
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