City files for new FCC station license after previous Unicom call sign expired in 2020
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Summary
Staff said the airport’s old FCC Unicom station license expired in 2020 and the city has submitted an application via a license‑filing service for a new station call sign; staff expect the new license this September and said the change affects the station designator, not the airfield identifier.
Kathleen and Melissa updated the board on the FCC Unicom station license. Kathleen said the previous station authorization lapsed in 2020 and that federal paperwork and reminder letters had been missed during the pandemic. Because the expiration occurred more than 20 days ago staff cannot renew the old license and instead must obtain a new station license and call sign.
Staff said they paid a filing vendor (TFM) to process the new license application and that the vendor expects a new call sign to be issued in September. Kathleen told the board that the Unicom station designator (a ground station call sign) changes do not alter airport identifiers used in aeronautical operations and that the numeric facility identifiers used for ATC/aviation operations will remain the same. The new station license fee to the vendor was described as roughly $400.
Board members asked whether the call sign is used on‑air; staff said the Unicom call sign is a station designation and not used routinely by pilots in communications at the field; staff offered to confirm details if the board wanted further clarification. Staff said they would forward application confirmation to board members once the vendor reports issuance.