[{"_1":2,"_105":-5,"_106":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85,95],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6618645,"mediaKeyId","3380715-5cb2edcfb1f912a3976ab873f387f001","parentId",3380715,"title","Airport board recommends updated noise-abatement guidance, suggests voluntary traffic pattern and night-landing language","audioSeconds",1021,"startMs",876000,"endMs",1897000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3380715-5cb2edcfb1f912a3976ab873f387f001&start=876&end=1897","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6618645/Utah/Airport-board-recommends-updated-noise-abatement-guidance-suggests-voluntary-traffic-pattern-and-night-landing-language","mediaUrl","author","Hurricane Airport Board","date","2025-03-18T09:00:00Z","article","HURRICANE, Utah — The Hurricane City Airport Board recommended changes to the airport's noise-abatement policy that would add a suggested traffic-pattern diagram, clarify that safety is the primary factor in pattern adherence and discourage night landings where runway lighting is not available.

The recommendation, passed by the board in a motion approved by members present, asks the City Council to adopt language that (1) presents a visual \"crop-circle\" diagram showing recommended downwind/base turns for fixed-wing and helicopter traffic; (2) explicitly states that \"safety of flight is the primary factor\" and that pilots may deviate as required by current weather, aircraft and pilot capabilities; and (3) requests that nighttime landings be discouraged between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight in the absence of runway lighting, consistent with FAA definitions of legal night as published in the Astronomical Almanac.

The proposed diagram recommends a 1,000-foot AGL traffic pattern for fixed-wing aircraft and notes the AIM (Aeronautical Information Manual) guidance that helicopters may operate at lower pattern altitudes (the AIM references 1,000 feet AGL as a common fixed-wing pattern altitude and 500 feet AGL for helicopters). Board member Scott Freeman said the revision aims to be practical and voluntary: \"Safety of flight is the primary factor,\" and \"this is voluntary,\" he said, describing the diagram as a visual aid tied to existing AIM guidance.

Board members discussed a separate insertion clarifying nighttime operations. The draft language would request that, \"due to the absence of airport lighting systems at Hurricane City Airport, no landings occur during nighttime hours between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight,\" with those times converted to local time per FAA definitions. Freeman and others said that the edit is intended as a safety recommendation rather than an enforceable ban, and that exceptions (for example, emergency medical or search-and-rescue flights) still can occur.

Board members also discussed practical steps to reduce nighttime or unfamiliar operations. Several members suggested adding a clear note to AWOS/airport facility publications and in the airport's online information so transient pilots will be alerted that Hurricane does not have runway lighting. Freeman proposed creating a short flyer or training handout that the airport or Southern Utah University (SUU) flight programs could distribute to visiting instructors and students; he said he would help deliver copies to SUU.

Several pilots and operators informally consulted by board members told them they expected most local and frequent pilots to follow the recommended patterns; board members noted that a very small minority of out-of-area trainees might not. The board discussed coordinating the policy text so it matches the version adopted in the city's rules and regulations and making a concise public-facing flyer for the airport website and for flight instructors.

The board voted to forward the proposed language and recommended edits to the City Council for inclusion in the city rules and regulations and for use as a standalone noise-abatement guidance flyer.

Background: The AIM provisions referenced (Aeronautical Information Manual, pattern altitudes and non-towered airport operations) are advisory; the board's document frames its guidance as voluntary noise-abatement measures and safety recommendations, not regulatory requirements.

What's next: The board directed staff to merge the board's proposed language into the Word version of the rules and regulations the City Council recently considered, prepare redlined changes for council review and update the airport website and AWOS/NOTAM entries to note the absence of runway lighting and to point pilots to the noise-abatement guidance.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Hurricane City Airport Board Agenda - 2025-03-18-ABR","oneSentenceSummary","The Hurricane City Airport Board recommended changes to the airport's noise-abatement policy that would add a suggested traffic-pattern diagram, clarify that safety is the primary factor in pattern adherence and discourage night landings where runway lighting is not available.","taxTitle","Hurricane, Washington County, Utah","taxId",80031,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6618630,"Board approves appointments and lease assignment recommendations; motions sent to City Council",91,1663000,1754000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3380715-5cb2edcfb1f912a3976ab873f387f001&start=1663&end=1754","/articles/6618630/Utah/Board-approves-appointments-and-lease-assignment-recommendations-motions-sent-to-City-Council","HURRICANE, Utah — The Hurricane City Airport Board approved several administrative recommendations and directed staff to forward them to the City Council.

Motions and outcomes

- Recommend appointment of Dave Zundell to the City Council for consideration to join the airport board. Motion passed unanimously. Board members described Zundell's background in aviation and military maintenance and said they supported his nomination for the airport board.

- Recommend approval of assignment of leases (an assignment from Byron and spouse to their family trust for Hangar 2 South) and forward to City Council. Board members said the assignment appeared to be routine estate planning and that the lease documents require city approval of an assignment. Motion passed unanimously.

- Recommend that City Council acknowledge Scott Freeman as an additional airport-board liaison under the MOU with Southern Utah University and authorize staff to notify SUU and distribute a training flyer. Motion by Jason, seconded by Derek; passed unanimously.

- Recommend proposed revisions to the noise-abatement policy (see separate article). Motion from John, seconded by Derek; passed unanimously to forward to City Council for incorporation in rules and regulations.

Several routine excusals and administrative notes were recorded: board members noted absences for FAA commitments and illness for two members; staff confirmed minutes and packet-handling processes.

Vote tallies were taken by voice; roll-call vote names were not recorded in the transcript for all motions. Where movers and seconders were recorded, the transcript identified Jason as the mover for the SUU-liaison recommendation and Derek as the seconder; John moved the noise-abatement recommendation and Derek seconded.

What's next: Staff will prepare council packets containing the board's recommendations, redlined rules-and-regs language where appropriate, and supporting copies (for example, flyers for SUU). The City Council will consider the appointment and lease assignment at its next available meeting.","The Hurricane City Airport Board approved recommendations to forward to the City Council: to consider appointing Dave Zundell to the airport board, to approve a lease assignment for Hangar 2 South, to add Scott Freeman as an SUU liaison and to forward noise-abatement revisions.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":50,"_51":92,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6618635,"Contractor to U.S. Fish and Wildlife expresses interest in hangar and helipad at Hurricane Airport; board open to further review",230,2568000,2798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3380715-5cb2edcfb1f912a3976ab873f387f001&start=2568&end=2798","/articles/6618635/Utah/Contractor-to-US-Fish-and-Wildlife-expresses-interest-in-hangar-and-helipad-at-Hurricane-Airport-board-open-to-further-review","HURRICANE, Utah — A private contractor under contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked the Hurricane City Airport Board to explore the feasibility of constructing a hangar and a small helipad at Hurricane City Airport.

Board members heard that the contractor's operations would likely be seasonal and intermittent: the company described a pattern of basing aircraft in the region for part of the year and relocating elsewhere for other months. The contractor's representative was not present at the meeting; a board member reported the company typically performs wildlife capture, tagging and monitoring flights and that some crews operate from the airport for two- to three-week periods.

Board members discussed likely siting options. One possibility raised was at the south end of the runway, which would separate helicopter operations from fixed-wing traffic; another option discussed was behind the animal-control area, where sewer access would be easier to provide (the contractor noted a need for sewer infrastructure if a hangar is located at the south end). The board noted the airport master plan previously showed a helipad in an earlier draft but that the current airport layout plan does not include a new helipad; an update to the airport layout plan is on the capital improvement schedule for 2027-2028.

Members voiced two conditions that would make them more comfortable approving a lease: (1) that the contractor commit not to sublease the hangar or helipad for unrelated flight-school or other helicopter-operations use; and (2) that the lease include operational restrictions (for example, limiting routine training or pattern work from the helipad). One board member said, \"If they're going to build a hangar and sign a lease, we can put restrictions like that in the lease agreement.\" The board also asked the contractor to appear at a future meeting to answer questions.

Board staff said the airport's master plan update is scheduled in the capital improvement plan; staff emphasized a developer or tenant could pursue a hangar and apron in the near term without waiting for the master-plan update, though some site-specific items may require plan amendments. The board encouraged the contractor to appear at the next meeting to present specifics about aircraft types, frequency of operations and any infrastructure needs.

What's next: Staff will contact the contractor with the board's request that the company present at the next airport board meeting and provide details about aircraft types, seasonal schedule, intended hangar use and whether the company will commit to lease restrictions on subleasing or flight-school operations.","A private contractor under contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked the Hurricane City Airport Board to consider siting a hangar and a small helipad; the board expressed conditional openness but asked for commitments on subleasing and operational limits.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":98,"_43":99,"_45":100,"_47":101,"_49":50,"_51":102,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":103,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":104,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6618640,"Airport board names Scott Freeman additional liaison to SUU MOU, plans outreach and flyers for flight schools",524,368000,892000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3380715-5cb2edcfb1f912a3976ab873f387f001&start=368&end=892","/articles/6618640/Utah/Airport-board-names-Scott-Freeman-additional-liaison-to-SUU-MOU-plans-outreach-and-flyers-for-flight-schools","HURRICANE, Utah — The Hurricane City Airport Board voted to recommend that the City Council recognize Scott Freeman as an additional liaison under the airport's memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Southern Utah University (SUU) and to send SUU a letter notifying the university of the new contact arrangements.

Board members said the change is administrative: the proposed MOU language would identify the city manager (Kate DeMille) as contact with support from an airport board liaison and would list Freeman as the named airport-board liaison so future rotations of personnel are easier to manage. Board discussion emphasized using a notification letter rather than reopening or renegotiating the MOU.

Board members also discussed a short training flyer Freeman drafted for distribution to flight schools and visiting instructors. Freeman said the flyer is intended to reinforce the recommended traffic pattern and to provide new instructors or students a short reminder of the local voluntary guidance: \"It can be used as a tool to work in the city through the airport to help educate other flight schools,\" he said. The board agreed the city would produce copies for SUU and hand-deliver them to Christopher Cox, SUU's contact, and asked staff to include the letter and copies in the council packet.

Discussion before the vote touched on avoiding unnecessary contract changes. Several board members said they did not want to open the MOU for broad revision and preferred routing a notification letter to SUU indicating the new contact and offering the flyer. Jason, who introduced the board's support for Freeman, said the board had previously worked well with the university and that naming a rotating liaison would help continuity.

A motion from Jason (seconded by Derek) recommending Freeman as an additional liaison passed unanimously. The board also directed staff to prepare the notification letter and provide copies of the flyer to SUU and to run the proposed changes by the City Council as a recommendation.

Background: The MOU with Southern Utah University governs training operations and sets expectations for local pattern work under SUU's flight program. The board's action is an internal recommendation to the City Council to recognize Freeman as an additional named liaison and to memorialize the point of contact via letter, rather than reopening the MOU for formal amendment.

What's next: Staff will place the recommendation and redlined updates into the City Council packet. Freeman and staff plan to hand-deliver printed flyers to SUU and request the university's acknowledgment of the city's contact changes.","The Hurricane City Airport Board voted to recommend adding Scott Freeman as an additional liaison under the existing memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Southern Utah University (SUU). The board also agreed to send a letter to SUU identifying the city's contact and to distribute a training flyer to visiting flight instructors and students.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Airport board recommends updated noise-abatement guidance, suggests voluntary traffic pattern and night-landing language

Board approves appointments and lease assignment recommendations; motions sent to City Council

Contractor to U.S. Fish and Wildlife expresses interest in hangar and helipad at Hurricane Airport; board open to further review

Airport board names Scott Freeman additional liaison to SUU MOU, plans outreach and flyers for flight schools