Updates about Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (NWFBIA)

[Kurt]

Construction Update: 4/16/2009
Posted: 20 Apr 2009 09:02 PM PDT
Contract 1: Heavy Civil and Airfield Lighting
Approximately 86% of the contract work is complete with only 60% of the contract time used.

• Installation of underground utilities continues in the General Aviation area; approx. 80 % complete.
• 8400’ of Runway 16-34 is 100% complete. (Still awaiting final approval for 10,000’).
• Earthwork, sub grade and limerock base is complete on Taxiway D; Asphalt paving is approximately 60% complete.
• Masonry work is ongoing on the ALV building.
• Installation of the centerline lighting cans is approximately 82% complete.
• TDZ lighting cans are approx. 81% complete.

Approximately 115 pieces of heavy equipment are in operation at any one time with approximately 160 personnel on site for the heavy civil (contract 1) and utilities(contract 3) contracts.
Contract 2: Terminal Building, ATCT and Support Buildings
Approximately 22% of contract work is complete with 31% of contract time utilized.
Terminal:

• Beginning installation of roof deck in Area A.
• 2nd floor is now complete in Area B.
• Continuing installation of reinforcing steel in area D 2nd level.
• Continuing installation of underdrains.
• Slab on grade is complete between columns B & C in Area A.
• Continuing with structural steel sequence in Area A.

Air Traffic Control Tower:

• Completed concrete pour of foundation walls.

Air Maintenance Facility:

• Completed slab on grade and now erecting steel.

Air Maintenance Shed:

• Continuing installation of split face CMU walls.

Air Cargo Facility:

• Continuing installation of split face CMU walls; setting door frames.

Rental Car Facility:

• Completing installation of underground utilities.

Public Safety Building:

• Forming, resteeling and pouring elevator walls.

The average man power on site for Contract 2 per day is 106 people based on a five day work week. Saturday manpower is average 48 people.
Contract 3: Utility Contract
Approximately 26% of contract work is complete with 25% of contract time utilized.
Main Access Road:

• 3W2” Power Distribution Duct Bank: 68% complete.
• Street light duct work: 75% complete.

Joyner Road:

• 24” water main: Testing complete-passed.

GA Access Road:

• 30” water main: 55% complete.

Lift Station:

• Wet well installed.

Crooked Creek:

• 8” Directional Drill is complete

 

[beachmouse]

Airport contractor faces environmental fine:

Panama City airport builder faces environmental fine - St. Petersburg Times

A contractor building the new Panama City airport has repeatedly violated water pollution rules and now is likely to face a fine from the state Department of Environmental Protection, a top DEP official said recently.

"We really want this fixed," said Dick Fancher, who oversees the DEP in the Panhandle.

But the contractor, James Finch of Phoenix Construction, denies causing any pollution. "We've not had any violations," said Finch, a NASCAR team owner whose driver won Sunday's race at Talladega. Finch's construction company has been penalized before for violating water pollution laws.

Told that Fancher had mentioned fining his company, Finch blurted out, "A fine?!" He blamed "birdwatchers" for reporting problems that didn't exist.

 

[Matt J]

Airport contractor faces environmental fine:

Panama City airport builder faces environmental fine - St. Petersburg Times

Yep, don't be surprised when the new airport needs massive renovations and stabilization once completed due to shotty work by Pheonix. They've been bending Bay County over a barrell for years and the BCC still can't figure out why their butts hurt.

 

[tg1317]

Economic Impact of the new airport

Does anyone have any good (recent) data on the economic impact of the new airport? I have heard mixed opinions from a variety of sources. Thanks! Hard data would be great (commercial construction, etc..)

 

[Kurt]

Contract 1: Heavy Civil and Airfield Lighting
Approximately 86% of the contract work is complete with only 64% of the contract time used.

• 8400’ of Runway 16-34 is 100% complete. (Still awaiting final approval for 10,000’)
• Grooving of the runway is underway and should be complete next week.
• Final grading of the main access road is underway.
• Installation of the centerline lighting cans is approximately 100% complete.
• TDZ lighting cans are approximately 100% complete.

Approximately 100 pieces of heavy equipment are in operation at any one time with approximately 150 personnel on site for the heavy civil and utilities contracts.
Contract 2: Terminal Building, Air Traffic Control Tower and Support Buildings
Approximately 24% of contract work is complete with 36% of contract time utilized.
Terminal:

• Continuing with structural steal sequence 9-11 in Areas B & C.
• Completed 2nd level deck area E concourse.
• Continuing main conduit runs under-slab.

Air Traffic Control Tower:

• Completed 2nd level concrete wall pour, continuing with 3rd floor.

Air Maintenance Facility:

• Completed erection of structural steel, masonry wall and metal roof.

Air Maintenance Shed:

• Continuing metal siding installation.

Air Cargo Facility:

• Completed installation of metal siding to begin interior metal studs.

Rental Car Facility:

• Began layout of building foundation.

Public Safety Building:

• Completed installation of floor troughs and completed concrete pour.

Manpower:

• The average manpower on site per day for Contract 2 is 106 people based on a five-day work week.

Contract 3: Utility Contract
Approximately 33% of contract work is complete with 31% of contract time utilized.
Main Access Road:

• 3W2” Power Distribution Duct Bank is 80% complete.
• Street light duct work is 85% complete.

Joyner Road:

• 24” water main is 98% complete.

GA Access Road:

• 30” water main is 69% complete

Lift Station:

• Lift station is 35% complete.

Booster Station:

• Site work is underway.

Gas Main Installation:

• Approximately 2 weeks to completion.
• AT&T duct bank installed from main gate to intersection

Force Main on CR 388:

• Installation is continuing.

 

[Beauty hunter]

Any news on Patrick Dempsey flying in?

 

[Andy A]

Kurt, Thank you for keeping us updated on the progress of the airport. Do not answer if you wish not to do so but are you involved in keeping track of the construction in any way? At any rate, it is important to keep abreast of the progress and, once again, your input, research and effort to do so is greatly appreciated.

 

[Kurt]

Kurt, Thank you for keeping us updated on the progress of the airport. Do not answer if you wish not to do so but are you involved in keeping track of the construction in any way? At any rate, it is important to keep abreast of the progress and, once again, your input, research and effort to do so is greatly appreciated.

You're welcome. I am not directly involved. I simply get the email updates from their site because I am keenly interested and want to pass on the info.

Sometimes development, changes, and progress seem to take forever, and sometimes they seem to happen overnight. Ever notice that?

 

[Andy A]

You're welcome. I am not directly involved. I simply get the email updates from their site because I am keenly interested and want to pass on the info.

Sometimes development, changes, and progress seem to take forever, and sometimes they seem to happen overnight. Ever notice that?

Yes I have. And once they got by all the contentions, they seem to be really progressing quite nicely. I think it will end up being a boon to the area. Thanks again for the updates and the reply

 

[Kurt]

Boardings down at Panhandle airports (see CHART) - The News Herald

The three major airports on the Emerald Coast do not appear immune from hard times in today's slumping economy.


Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport appears to be hurting the most. For each of the first four months of 2009, its drop in boardings has ranged from 16.5 percent to 22.3 percent. The Panama City-Bay County International Airport has seen a drop ranging from 3 percent in March to 8.8 percent in January.


Pensacola does have the most carriers (six) and the most daily flights in and out (76), according to its Web site. Northwest Florida Regional Airport has five carriers and 54 daily flights, while Panama City has two carriers and 11 daily flights.
Randy Curtis, director of Panama City's airport, said "about two-thirds of the balance here is business and military travel."


The Air Force is the main reason for Northwest Florida Regional's stability, said Greg Donovan, Okaloosa County's airports director.


"There's a lot of business activity associated with the military, because if you work for Lockheed and you're connected with the F-35, you can come from Fort Worth on American Eagle," Donovan said. He also referenced that the airport property belongs to Eglin Air Force, which controls the air space.


"We've got involvement with Eglin, we're connected with Hurlburt (Field) and we've got those Army Special Forces coming in here, too," he said. "All those things mean activity here that is resilient to a national downtrend."


Melinda Crawford, interim director of Pensacola's airport, estimated 53 percent of its passengers come on business, 26 percent are connected with the military and 21 percent are classified as "leisure."


At Northwest Florida Regional, the breakdown is 42 percent military/civil service/government contractors, 30 percent leisure and 28 percent business other than military.


All three continue to compete in a market that's known throughout the Southeast as a drive-to destination. Last year, Pensacola added "Gulf Coast" to its name. It also has a $35 million expansion under way. Okaloosa Regional Airport became Northwest Florida Regional last September. The airport's new rental car service facility, fuel farm and aircraft parking area were completed in March at a price tag of $14.7 million.


In Bay County, the $318 million airport near West Bay scheduled for completion in May 2010 has been trumpeting its "international" title for months.

Holy grail

Still, low fares cannot be ignored when it comes to customer appeal, and Pensacola does have low-cost carrier Air Tran. Even so, securing Southwest Airlines remains a sort of holy grail quest for all three airports.


Curtis calls Southwest "one of our major objectives, and they're the cream of the crop."
At the University of West Florida's Haas Center, Rod Lewis is preparing a seven-county report on airlines that is due for delivery July 1.


"Every community is looking for increased air service and low-cost carriers to improve the tourist environment and expand its reach," Lewis said. "The result would be more business and more convention visitors."


What determines the winner in this ongoing contest?


"The number of people employed at each airport, the number of flights in and out and the total number of people they bring into the region," Lewis said. "And having them spend their money in the region that would not have come but for that airport."

Donovan and assistant Mike Stenson have a June 3 meeting scheduled with representatives from Southwest.


But Mike Boyd, who heads aviation consulting firm The Boyd Group in Colorado, doesn't think Southwest will come anytime soon. Boyd is considered a national expert who appeared at Donovan's invitation in Fort Walton Beach last year.

"You have to bang on their door," Boyd said. "They'll say they love you, but they might not be there. They're going to open Milwaukee this fall, and they're not coming to small and mid-size markets right now.


"But you can never trust an airline when they tell you ‘no,'" he added. "They'll say they're not coming right up until the day they sign a deal to come there."


As for the overall picture in the near future, Boyd said he is not optimistic.


"The airlines are cutting back in capacity, anticipating a major reduction in travel this fall," he said. "It's not going to be a rosy picture ... about 12 percent less capacity this fall."