January / February 2023 | www.flysanmarcos.com
Happy 57th Airport Anniversary!

On February 14, 1966, our wonderful airport was officially deeded to the City of San Marcos! I know we’re all grateful for this incredible asset to the City and it’s a stark reminder that the pavement currently being demolished on Taxiway Charlie is well over 57 years old, as it was installed when the airport was first established by the federal government as Gary Airfield. 

Fun fact: per Wikipedia (so you know it has to be true), the original cost for the construction of the airport was $5M – less than the reconstruction cost for Taxiway Charlie!
Speaking of, Charlie reconstruction is moving along nicely and we continue to appreciate your patience while crews are on-site. A more detailed update is below and as always, if you have any questions or experience any issues, please let us know immediately. Safety is our number one priority and there are a lot of moving parts (and trucks) so if you see something, say something.

I’d also like to take a moment to pass along news about our TAP team. Stacey Batch, our long-time colleague, recently accepted the position as Airport Manager of Taylor Municipal. We will miss her greatly and wish her nothing but the best of luck in her new venture. Please tell her hello if you find yourself at T74!

Happy Flying,
Cassidy Berenato
Vice President
TAXIWAY RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT UNDERWAY AT REGIONAL AIRPORT
The taxiway reconstruction project has begun at the San Marcos Regional Airport.

Work on Taxiway Charlie will include improvements to enhance safety with the installation of an upgraded LED lighting system, new signage and markings and a complete replacement of the taxiway pavement, the City of San Marcos recently announced.

“Taxiway Charlie has not been reconstructed since its original installation during World War II. Maintaining the airfield infrastructure is an essential safety component to daily operations,” Texas Aviation Partners Vice President Cassidy Berenato said. “Since Taxiway Charlie has the highest traffic volume, we are excited to enhance the user experience of the pilots flying into the San Marcos Regional Airport every day.”

Construction crews began mobilizing the area on Monday, Jan. 9 with demolition of the outdated pavement set to begin soon. The city said the improvements will limit risk from debris damage, which will ultimately enhance safety for taxiing aircraft and will allow pilots visual clarity when using the taxiway.

The Taxiway Charlie reconstruction project will be funded with a Federal Aviation Administration discretionary grant issued by the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division. The project is expected to cost $5,392,730, according to the city.

The San Marcos City Council approved $539,273 from the city’s general fund during the regular meeting on Sept. 20, 2022 to be used for the project. The city said the reconstruction project is expected to be completed by summer 2023.

“The City of San Marcos is thankful to our federal and state partners for their help in making this shared investment in airport safety a reality,” Assistant City Manager Joe Pantalion said.

As the Taxiway Charlie project continues, aircraft will taxi along the movement line of Charlie Taxiway where a pathway is clear of obstructions and construction activity to keep daily operations uninterrupted and minimize disruptions, the city said.

The Taxiway Charlie reconstruction project is among multiple projects in the works for the San Marcos Regional Airport.

The replacement of Taxiway Alpha is currently in the design process. According to the city, the taxiway is in need of heavy rehabilitation. The Taxiway Alpha project will also be funded by TxDOT Aviation through the FAA with grant/discretionary funding. The city’s website stated that the project will include replacement of taxiway markings, signage and possible upgrades to taxiway lighting system. The project will come after Taxiway Charlie and is currently contingent upon receiving federal funding.

The development of Airport Zoning Regulations is also in the design phase. According to the city, these zoning regulations will consist of updating the land development code with hazard zoning and land compatibility zoning. The city said the zoning ordinance is currently in draft format with meetings pending with stakeholders.
TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT 2023
*Co-hosted by Greater San Marcos Partnership and San Marcos Area Chamber
 
Gather with other businesses and public-sector leaders to hear updates about the I-35 Corridor's path forward with imminent growth. Local and regional leaders will take an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities that face our region’s transportation systems.
 
Join the Chamber and the Greater San Marcos Partnership as we PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF! This year's Summit will have a special focus on aviation, the growth surrounding the San Marcos Regional Airport, and how that growth will impact transportation systems across the Innovation Corridor.

Date and Time:
Thursday Feb 16, 2023 
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM CST
Note the 11:00am start time for this event.

Location:
San Marcos Conference Center at Embassy Suites
1001 E McCarty Ln
San Marcos, TX 78666

Click here to register!
WELCOME US AVIATION ACADEMY
We are excited to announce that the US Aviation Academy will be opening a new A&P Mechanic Program here at the Airport. This will be an FAA-approved Part 147 school, which will provide students the required experience necessary to receive an A&P Certification. City council has approved their lease and in the coming weeks we should start to see some activity around their hangar. Welcome to San Marcos!
INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Standards: Section 1.6 - Insurance

All individuals and entities providing commercial aeronautical activities shall protect the public generally, its customers or clients, and the City of San Marcos from any and all unlawful damages, claims, or liability and shall carry comprehensive general liability insurance with a company authorized to do business in the State of Texas with limits of not less than that specified herein; and such policies must be written with the City of San Marcos named as an additional insured; such policies must be approved by the Airport and a certificate of insurance furnished to same. It is further understood that as circumstances may justify in the future, the City may modify these insurance requirements.

All tenants will have three months, or until expiration date of current insurance policy, whichever is greater, to update their insurance coverage in order to comply with these Minimum Standards. Failure to provide current insurance is a default on the lease and could be grounds for eviction.

As a reminder, per the minimum standards, aircraft policies should have a minimum liability limit of $1M and should have the additional insured information as shown below:
 
City of San Marcos / Texas Aviation Partners
4400 Highway 21
San Marcos, Texas 78666
 
To make renewals easier, we have created the email address [email protected]. Please have your agent update their file to ensure we receive all of your policies in a timely manner.
T-HANGAR REPAIRS & IMPROVEMENTS
The City of San Marcos has approved a contract for repairs and improvements to the city owned T-Hangars in the estimated amount of $95,671. We are waiting on notice to proceed from the city at which point we will work out details related to scheduling. No business impact is anticipated on hangar operations during this work.
MONTHLY TRAFFIC OPERATIONS
Annual total operations by year:

2019: 63,955
2020: 78,010
2021: 82,368
2022: 91,852
2023 count through January:

8,559
We monitor operations each month to help us secure funding for future airport projects and improvements. The operations (aircraft landings and takeoffs) are counted every day during the Air Traffic Control Tower's hours of 7:00am to 9:00pm. Operations that occur outside of these hours are not tracked.
FREE AIRPORT SHIRTS
Airport t-shirts are now available!

Feel free to swing by the Airport Management office during the week to grab yours.

Did we mention they're free?!
COVID RAPID TESTING
We are excited to announce that we are now able to provide free rapid COVID-19 testing. The test kits have been provided by the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce via the Small Business COVID-19 Rapid Testing Program.
 
Testing is available by appointment only Monday-Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm. To schedule a test time, please call the office at (512) 216-6042.
LOCAL AVIATION NON-PROFIT MEETINGS
EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION CHAPTER 958

Meetings are held every third Saturday at 10:30am in the CAF Hangar, Officers Club.

For more information visit their website.
CIVIL AIR PATROL TEXAS WING 435

Meetings are held every Tuesday.

For more information, visit their website, send an email, or call (512) 710-8435.
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