BOSS HOGS AND AIRPORT MANAGEMENT

A common theme throughout the city’s closure process is that the city of St. Clair does not have as much money as Washington and Sullivan.  (Which is very true), and therefore should not be expected to operate the airports in a like manor.  (Which is not true), the city has demonstrated, (there is a big difference between “demonstrated”, and “has stated”) that it does not desire to operate the airport as they are required to do so.  The city has stated, “we spend more percentage wise compared to overall city revenues on our airport that Washington and Sullivan”.  What does this mean in relation to the airport finances?  Nothing, it is intended to disguise the real facts and give the false impression that the city is spending more on their airport than Washington or Sullivan.   

Most of the Airport Sponsors that understand aviation, the FAA rules, and what airports are all about, operate their facility like an enterprise operation and recognize the two distinct and different portions of airport finances, Capitol cost and operational cost.  St. Clair is showing what these two sponsors are spending on their airports, (consisting of operational and capital improvement cost,) and making it look like it is beyond the means of St. Clair to do the same, due to the lower amount of city revenue available to St. Clair.   The city should break this down to give a better understanding of their airport operations and a clearer picture of what is being compared here.   

“If you cannot dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull….”, and that is what is missing here, any form of the “brilliance” part.  What is a mystery here is the continued “bull….”.  The feds have seen this over and over in the past, and recognize it when they see it.  What is so very sad is that the city thinks they are blazing new ground, and that they are brave new explorers hacking a path through the unjust and antiquated federal system that is suppressing and ruining small time little communities. 

One can go to AIRNAV.COM and pick just about any airport in the United States, and read their comments posted by users, and get an impression as to how the sponsor feels about the general public. (Pilots and airport users).  If you compare what other sponsors do compared to what St. Clair does, it is kind of like the following.    Most operators make the general public feel welcomed, offer any assistance needed.  Things like bring the courtesy car out to your aircraft with the AC on and already cooled down when its 105 degrees out.   The aviation world is a tight friendly, close knitted, very tight world, much like a brotherhood.   What does the attitude of St. Clair produce?  When people that do business in St. Clair that use their aircraft fly to Sullivan and drive to St. Clair because of the condition of the airport, it’s just plain sad.  The city might as well say, ”Weall dowant youalls kind’n these here parts”.