Airport Master Plan October 1985 (2)

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Page 2 April 17, 1985 Additionally, the forecast activity levels are significantly above the criteria for entry into the NPIAS as a non-reliever facility. It is also our understanding that as a non-reliever facility, the airport must serve a community more than 30 minutes from the nearest existing or proposed NPIAS airport (quite distinct from this facility "being within 30 minutes driving time of another NPIAS airport"). Much of the northern and western areas of Ramsey is more than 30 minutes drive time from such a facility. Additionally, based aircraft owners currently being served by Gateway reside or are located in even more distant communities including Elk River and Zimmerman. Gateway North is located in a transitional growth area within the metro region's rural service area but outside of the 1990 designated urban service area. As such, the aviation demand stems from a more localized basis rather than from the central city area. We recognize that the site as it is currently planned does not have potential for an ultimate general utility runway length of 3900-4100'. To our understanding, this is not a criteria for entry into the NPIAS, since a Basic Utility - Stage II (3300') facility is the normal design type for general aviation airports. The Master Plan is developed based on non-precision approaches for both Runways 16 and 34. Runway 16-34 does not achieve 958 wind coverage. An evaluation of wind rose information indicated that no single runway could achieve 958 wind coverage. The Runway 16-34 orientation does provide the greatest wind coverage as a primary runway. While 958 coverage is desireable, we are not aware that this is a minimum criteria for entry into the NPIAS. Our experience, furthermore, has been that the development of crosswind runways to achieve greater wind coverage is such a low funding priority that actual construction of a crosswind runway today is a rarity rather than the rule. The 1978 revised Metropolitan Airports System plan does, in fact, designate private airports' role and function and does include Gateway North in the system. The airport's role is also identified in the 1990 system plan as a minor airport but the MASP makes the assumption that it will continue as a privately owned facility. Should the airport become a public facility owned by the municipality, the assurance of a continued role within the Metropolitan System Plan would be much greater.