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03/04/2000 - Airport Relations Commission MINUTES OF THE EAGAN AIRPORT RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING MARCH 14, 2000 A regular meeting of the Eagan Airport Relations Commission was held on Tuesday, March 14, 2000, at 7:00 p.m. Those present were Eric Drenckhahn, Ted Gladhill, Steve Soderling, Lance Staricha, Charles Thorkildson, and Hassan Saffouri, Alternate. Absent were Alice Kreitz and Nadim Zoberi. Also present was Jamie Verbrugge, Assistant City Administrator and Mary Swenson, Recording Secretary. AGENDA Verbrugge requested several additions to the agenda. City Councilmember Bea Blomquist was present to speak regarding a recent trip to the National League of Cities Conference held in Washington D.C. Under New Business, he requested a discussion of the ground run -up enclosure. Mary Loeffelholz of Northwest Airlines was in the audience to join in that discussion. Under Unfinished Business, a discussion of the Eagan/Mendota Heights Corridor analysis in the Part 150 Update was requested and it was recommended that the Community Mitigation Plan only be discussed if time permits. Upon motion by Soderling, seconded by Thorkildson, the agenda was approved as modified. All members voted in favor. MINUTES Gladhill made a motion to approve the minutes; Soderling seconded the motion. All members voted in favor. VISITORS TO BE HEARD City Councilmember Bea Blomquist spoke on her recent trip to the N.O.I.S.E. Conference held in Washington D.C. and summarized two areas of concern; 1.) the new North -South Runway and the impact it will have on the west side of Eagan, along with airport expansion in general and how expansion affects the communities surrounding an airport. 2.) legislation on the Stage 3 aircraft. She further spoke on hushkitting and corridor issues that were discussed during the conference. She also stated something to watch for will be FAA controlling aircraft in bad weather versus individual airlines with regard to flight patterns and times. GROUND RUN -UP ENCLOSURE Verbrugge gave a brief background on the existing ground run -up facility at the Minneapolis /St. Paul International Airport indicating location and procedures following aircraft maintenance. He stated that in 1999 at MSP there were slightly more than 2000 run -ups; approximately six per day. He further stated there is currently an agreement with the airlines that run -ups may not be performed during night- time hours of 10:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. unless special circumstances require a night -time run -up. Verbrugge stated that the MASAC Operating Committee is considering a recommendation to build a ground run -up facility similar to the enclosure at the Chicago O'Hare Airport and stated this is a $5 million capital expenditure. Verbrugge introduced Mary Loeffelholz of Northwest Airlines. She gave a brief background on her position with Northwest and stated that Northwest opposes the construction of a new ground run- Airport Relations Commission Minutes March 14, 2000/2 up enclosure facility and also any improvements to be made to the existing facility. She further stated there were three key areas that went into making that decision; 1.) maintenance requirements, 2.) operation requirements, and 3.) funding requirements. She stated that in conclusion, there would be very marginal benefit to overall noise. She further stated that Northwest Airlines has invested significant dollars in building new hangar facilities in Detroit and Chicago to deal with fleet maintenance issues, and Northwest has also made improvements to their flight schedules to be able to schedule and perform the necessary maintenance tests to be done on the run -up pads at those locations. Gladhill asked what Northwest Airlines would suggest as an alternative to improvements or building a new facility. Mary Loeffelholz suggested the Part 150 Program and future operational measures would have greater benefit. Soderling asked if the new facility would curtail noise better than the existing facility. Verbrugge stated that the proposed facility would reduce noise created by run -ups. He then used a map to further explain noise reduction levels and the marginal benefit of the project. Drenckhahn commented on ground run -up versus take off noise and stated that run -up noise is not as loud, but very irritating. Loeffelholz stated that during the study, it was proven that what was originally thought to be a ground run -up event was actually take -off noise or something other than ground run -up. She further stated that the $5 million that would be spent would come completely out of the pocket of Northwest Airlines. Gladhill stated that the best way for the Commission to support Northwest would be for them to come up with some new ideas to reduce noise. Verbrugge stated that the $5 million expenditure would be for an all new facility, but questioned whether the expenditure for minimal benefit would be justified. Staricha explained that he would have a problem opposing the facility because of neighboring communities that may have more of an impact. Loeffelholz stated that this project will not do anything to reduce noise for homes on the fringe of the airport. Councilmember Blomquist commented that what seems to be run -up noise is really aircraft landings; one right after the other. Verbrugge discussed low frequency noise and explained he too believes the noise is generated by reverse thrust from landings and queuing departure traffic. Verbrugge asked how the Commission would like to vote at the MASAC Operations Committee meeting. Gladhill stated the Commission should support pursuing alternative measures and Soderling stated we would have to abstain. Drenckhahn explained that being in support of the new facility would generate goodwill among communities who would benefit. Soderling asked if Richfield and Bloomington were in support of the facility. Verbrugge stated that Richfield was not represented at the meeting and Bloomington had not made up their mind, but would probably support the new facility. Gladhill made a motion that the Eagan Airport Relations Commission not endorse the proposal for the new ground run -up enclosure because the benefits are not proportionate to its costs, but would like to see improvements to the run -up structure and noise mitigation, Soderling seconded. Aye: 5 Nay: 1 (Staricha opposed) PART 150 UPDATE Verbrugge discussed letters written by Will Eginton, Inver Grove Heights MASAC Representative, sent to Chad Leqve, Technical Advisor MASAC Operations Committee, and Mayor Charles Mertensotto, MASAC Chairperson. Verbrugge stated that Mr. Eginton's two main concerns are the Eagan/Mendota Heights Corridor and departures between the 90 degree and 120 degree headings. He further provided a graph illustrating FAA tower radar and showing MSP's top 15 destinations. Airport Relations Commission Minutes March 14, 2000/3 Verbrugge discussed an analysis done by consultants of HNTB of various approaches to directing flights off runway ends. Those included close -in departure procedure in the corridor, fanning, symmetry and the impact of new technology. Verbrugge stated that in the analysis done by HNTB, each of the approaches was summarized and the conclusion indicated continuing the use of the corridor as it exists today. Gladhill made a motion to extend the meeting by 15 minutes in order to finish this item, Soderling seconded. All members voted in favor. Verbrugge provided an overhead showing the 2005 projected contour based on fleet mix and projected operations. He further discussed Will Eginton's Corridor Review and Evaluation commenting on whether statements were actually true or false. Verbrugge stated there is a 17/35 City Meeting on Thursday, March 16, to discuss; runway use alternatives for 17/35, Dual Track EIS assumptions, guidelines for potential corridor alternatives, and discussing the feasibility of a corridor for 17/35 and its goals. Verbrugge stated he would put the Runway 17/35 fleet mix projections on the April agenda and would do a little more in -depth analysis on this prior to that meeting. There was further discussion by the Commission on the North -South Runway phase -in. Soderling commented on the contents of Will Eginton's letter, stating he was not aware that dual track legislation and the EIS specifies that 37 percent of all departures will use the North -South Runway immediately upon completion. Verbrugge stated the legislative mandate states this is the preferred alternative for expansion. He also stated that the EIS states the North -South Runway will be used for 37 percent of all departures. Verbrugge further discussed deviations of conditions to the EIS. VISITORS An Eagan resident, who recently retired from the Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport in the area of noise compatibility, appeared at the end of the meeting stating he had been viewing the meeting on cable television. ADJOURNMENT Upon motion by Soderling, seconded by Gladhill the Commission members adjourned the meeting at 8:45 . p.m. mis DATE SECRETARY