1. Who owns Flying Cloud Airport?
The Flying Cloud Airport is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC).
2. Who pays for the Flying Cloud Airport expansion?
According to a press release in 2002, Funding for the project includes an estimated $8,650,000 in federal aviation grants for runway improvements. The estimated $10 million cost for the new building area development will be funded by airport users. The MAC, which owns and operates Flying Cloud Airport, will fund most of the remaining $8.4 million project cost.
3. Who are the final decision-makers at Flying Cloud?
The final decision makers are the MAC chairman and 14 commissioners. According to the MAC website, the chairman and commissioners meet monthly to represent the interests of the community in decisions related to the airport.
The Commission's Chairman and 12 of the 14 commissioners are appointed by the Governor of Minnesota. Eight of the 12 commissioners represent districts within metropolitan area, while the remaining four represent the interests of out-state Minnesota.
4. Who can stop the expansion?
The MAC reached agreement with the city of Eden Prairie regarding the airport expansion in 2002 and received final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration this summer.
We had representation at the table who signed the agreement, one former council member and the mayor at the time according to press releases.
According to the agreement, if we as a city endorse or push to stop the expansion, our rights become null and void. To answer the question above - no, not at this time.
5. Why do you think Mayor Phil Young says that the expansion is a "done deal" -- and do you agree with him?
Yes, see answer to #4 above
6. What size jet will be allowed into Flying Cloud Airport after the expansion?
The maximum size allowed is 60,000 lbs
7. How much noise is represented by 65DNL?
The FAA and other Federal agencies use DNL as the primary measure of noise impacts on people and land uses.
65 Day Night Average Sound Level (DNL) remains the FAA's lower limit for defining significant noise impact on people.
This noise is comparable for area airports during the day time over residential use areas. 10 DNL is standard for nighttime flying
8. What is the difference between DNL and Noise Spikes? Which method is more accurate in representing the actual effect on the human ear?
The DNL is mentioned above, but is an average whereas noise spikes are specific instances.
9. How many 5,000 foot runways should the Twin Cities have?
I don't have a handle on the current demand for 5000 foot runways
10. How close does an airport have to be before you would consider it "convenient"?
15 Miles is personally convenient to me. The Minneapolis Saint Paul airport is convenient to Eden Prairie, but serves a different purpose.
11. Do you support subsidizing boat owners in order to make their boating experience more affordable?
No
12. Do you support subsidizing car owners in order to make their driving experience more affordable?
Yes, we subsidize roads all the time at a state and federal level to enhance the driving experience.
13. Do you support subsidizing aircraft owners in order to make their flying experience more affordable?
No
14. How much does General Aviation contribute to the Airport and Aviation Trust Fund?
According to an August 2008 article, funding for the project includes an estimated $8,650,000 in federal aviation grants for runway improvements. The estimated $10 million cost for the new building area development will be funded by airport users. The MAC, which owns and operates Flying Cloud Airport, will fund most of the remaining $8.4 million project cost.
15. What does the "Airport and Aviation Trust Fund" pay for?
According to the AOPA website, "the highest aviation priority of the United States is the safe and secure operation of the airport and airway system. Therefore, in the administration of the AIP, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gives the highest priority to projects that enhance the safety and security of our airport system.
Other key priorities include maintaining the current airport infrastructure; increasing the capacity of facilities to accommodate growing passenger and cargo traffic volumes; ensuring continued funding availability to the small general aviation (GA) and non-hub commercial service airports; developing reliever airports; developing cargo hub airports; reducing flight delays; converting former military air bases to civilian use; and implementing a variety of other provisions to ensure a safe and efficient airport system.
16. What portion of the "Airport and Aviation Trust Fund" is consumed by General Aviation?
This information was not available
17. Approximately how much money does the FAA take from the General Fund annually to pay for General Aviation?
This information was not available
18. What will the final figure for the Flying Cloud Airport expansion be?
The estimated cost is $27 Million dollars according to the MAC website and a press release and $54M according to the Zero Expansion website. Neither websites have a breakdown in the actual true costs.
19. Current operations at Flying Cloud are a little over 100,000 per year. What does MAC estimate the operations will be in 2010? Hint -- look in the FEIS.
MAC estimated that the increase in traffic will be 8% over the next ten years, but MAC also contradicts itself by stating it assumes that over 300K will be the operations rate in 2010. Due to the nature of the contradiction, I am unable to answer this question directly.
20. How often do you fly out of Flying Cloud?
I have never flown out of Flying Cloud Airport
Your Neighborhood Zero Expansion Team
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