DeKalb County airport manager outlines site testing, new weather system and runway plan

Randy Fox, the airport presenter, told the DeKalb County Council on May 14 that airport staff will pay for soil borings on four parcels along Old 427 to confirm whether the land can support construction without major stabilization work.

Fox said the county has received inquiries from two real-estate firms about marketing the airport-owned lots and that county staff prefer leasing any future development to retain compatibility control with airport operations.

The presentation included operational updates: the airport has installed an automated weather observation system (AWOS) that provides fog thickness, pressure and wind data to pilots, and staff are addressing frequency issues. Fox also described a recent outage of a jet-A fuel truck operated by the fixed-base operator, which produced a NOTAM (notice to airmen) while the truck was out of service for approximately 2½ days.

Fox outlined the runway resurfacing plan for next summer, saying the project will mill about 5 inches of the existing pavement, mix it with binding agent and aggregate as needed, and resurface roughly 5,000 feet of runway.

Council members asked several operational questions about likely tenants (Fox said FAA requirements limit uses that attract birds or require tall buildings) and the possibility of future aviation events; Fox noted construction activity could limit large events this year but referenced a past successful fly-in. No formal council action or votes were taken on the airport report.

The airport manager invited council members to the airport's Friday meeting and public “fly-in” luncheon and closed the report by taking questions from council members.