Bid chosen by Airport Commission: Russellville Regional Airport (KRUE), Arkansas

The Russellville Regional Airport Commission voted Tuesday to recommend a bid of $93,840 submitted by Rick McGinty Co. of Greenbrier to install new runway end identifier lights (REIL) and precision approach path indicator (PAPI) systems.

The second of three bids totaled $101,790 and was submitted by Broadway Electric of Forrest City. Triangle Electric of Hector did not submit a bid.

Commissioners met a day earlier than scheduled to give engineer Bob Chatman more time to generate the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant application. The deadline is July 11. The recommendation must be approved by the Russellville City Council during its July 17 meeting.

The runway approach lighting improvements, part of the airport’s master plan for 2014, consist of a glide slope guidance system for the east end of the runway (Runway 25) and a runway end identifier light system for the west end of the runway (Runway 7).

The PAPI system consists of four lights that turn progressively from white to red as seen by the pilot from a too-high to a too-low position. A pilot on a correct glide slope sees two red and two white lights. More white lights appear when they are too high, and all red lights indicate a pilot is too low. The last light must turn red with at least one degree clearance above the highest obstacle within 10 degrees either side of the runway centerline.

A REIL system increases the probability that pilots will be able to spot the runway when breaking out of the clouds after an instrument approach in low-visibility weather.

Preliminary cost estimates for the 2014 FAA/state 90-10 funded projects total slightly more than $200,000, with no cost to the city of Russelville.

In other business, the Airport Commission:

• Heard from Manager Bobby Day that total fuel sales for the month of May were 5,548 gallons, an increase over the May 2013 total of 4,799 gallons.

• Heard that the search contiues for a refurbished fuel truck.

• FAA program manager Kathy Franklin will visit Russellville on July 17.

Commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting included Andy Berkemeyer, Tommy Littleton, Paul Horney, Phil Cowger and Les Teaff. Chairman Bob Burris and Dwight Talburt were out of the country.

The Russellville Airport Commission meets at 6 p.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month inside the terminal.

Read more: The Courier - Your Messenger for the River Valley - Bid chosen by Airport Commission