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Board addresses runway lights, PAPI recertification, taxiway paving and in‑house work options
Summary
Board and staff addressed a fried circuit board in runway lighting, the need to recertify lights unused for over a decade, and whether taxiway paving could be done in‑house or must be contracted out and paid by MDOT.
Bay City airport board members reviewed infrastructure items including runway lighting repair, recertification and taxiway paving options, and discussed staffing or contractor approaches for upcoming pavement work.
Lighting and PAPI: Staff and board members reported that a circuit board in the lighting system had smoked and would need repair or replacement. A local technician (Ron Cushman) was identified as someone who could attempt repairs on legacy components. The board heard that the lighting system has been unused for 12–13 years and would require recertification before it could be returned to service. A state aeronautics official told the board the state can fly and test the lights for the airport at no direct charge to determine whether the lights meet FAA criteria; if the FAA is to certify the system using an aircraft such as a King Air, staff said that could cost on the order of $10,000–$20,000 to arrange. The transcript records a description of the problem: "the circuit board's fried" and staff offered to provide the blown circuit board to a technician for diagnosis.
Taxiway and paving: The board also discussed whether the city’s public works department could perform taxiway reconstruction in‑house rather than contracting out the work. The DPW director told the meeting he believed the city had the staff and materials to do the work but raised a question about whether MDOT/federal grant rules governing the project would allow an in‑house contractor rather than a third‑party vendor to perform the work and whether the agency would pay for it. The board agreed to raise that question at an upcoming MDOT map meeting and to confirm whether state/federal procurement rules would require outside contractors.
Why it matters: Lighting and pavement conditions affect pilot safety and the airport’s certification status. Repairing old lighting hardware may require replacement rather than repair, and reactivating lights will trigger FAA or state confirmation flights and certification steps. Paving decisions may affect project funding and which city department receives cost and work responsibilities.
Next steps: Staff will provide the fried circuit board to a local technician for diagnosis; the state aeronautics office offered to fly and test the lights to advise whether the FAA would certify them, and the board will raise procurement/funding questions with MDOT at the scheduled map meeting.
