First numbers from airport study released

An engineering firm on Tuesday night released the first results from its study of Kalispell City Airport.

During October through December there were an average of 40 daily operations (takeoffs or landings). There were 194 operations on the highest single day, according to Stelling Engineers, which is conducting a one-year monitoring program at the airport.

These include training flights associated with Red Eagle Aviation.

“We had one month of decent weather,” Stelling representative Jeff Walla said, noting recreational pilots normally only fly when there’s good weather.

Stelling used an acoustical counter to monitor the takeoffs and landings as well as “touch-and-go” maneuvers from Red Eagle. The acoustical counter uses noise as a method for counting, Walla said. It does not measure noise levels.

The information was part of a display Stelling set up in the lobby of City Hall prior to Tuesday’s council meeting.

Also included was a pilots’ survey that got a 36-percent response rate.

Walla said Stelling mainly uses the pilots’ surveys to identify what kind of aircraft they fly. Ninety-five percent of the aircraft used at the Kalispell Airport are single-engine craft. Eighty-four percent of the aircraft based at the airport are single-engine.

No jets use the airport, but some twin- and turbine-engine planes do, Walla said.

The open house was part of Stelling’s update of the airport master plan. The next open house will be held in April or May.

During public comments prior to Tuesday’s council meeting, Jeri Ann Robbins said Mitch Stelling, owner of Stelling Inc., has a conflict of interest in that his brother, David Stelling, manages the Federal Aviation Administration office in Helena. Mitch Stelling disclosed this information during the first open house in September.