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County expects four FAA grants for runway safety, navigational aids, terminal assessment and storage building design
Summary
Public Works told supervisors the county expects four FAA grants this fiscal year to fund runway safety‑area construction, replacement of navigational aids including the rotating beacon, a commercial‑service terminal environmental assessment, and design of a storage building at Bishop Airport.
Ashley Helms, Deputy Public Works Director, told the Board on Aug. 19 that the county expects four Federal Aviation Administration grants for federal fiscal year 2025.
Helms said two grants will come from the Airport Improvement Program entitlement funds: (1) design and construction of the Runway 12/30 safety area project at the commercial‑service runway and (2) replacement of navigational aids, chiefly a new LED rotating beacon and a malfunctioning approach path indicator system. She noted the county intends to retain the historic rotating‑beacon fixture for a potential nonoperational display but will install a new, lighter LED beacon for operational compliance.
A third expected grant would fund an environmental assessment for a proposed future commercial‑service terminal at Bishop Airport; Helms said the county is finalizing a passenger/flight‑forecast document with the FAA and will move to an EA once the forecast is approved. The fourth grant is for design only of a storage building at Bishop Airport to house the airport’s fire truck and new plow truck and provide space for future snow‑removal equipment; construction funding is expected in a later grant cycle.
Helms said the Runway 12/30 safety‑area project involves significant earthwork and fence realignment to create FAA‑compliant 1,000‑foot safety areas at runway ends; during most of that work the runway will be closed and staff are coordinating timing with the commercial flight schedule so construction can occur after the last scheduled flights and be complete well before the first winter flights. Board members and an advisory committee member expressed strong support for the grants and projects.
