Casa Grande Municipal Airport

One of the main projects I worked on over the time I spent at Casa Grande was working on various assignments for the Airport.

I helped to reevaluate the lease agreements used at Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ). I gathered information about the valley's city run airports and compiled a data set with all of the pricing, number of hangars, tie-downs, storage units, and the number of people on a wait list. I also found contracts for each of the airports and then drafted contracts that met the needs for CGZ. After the contracts were drafted, I made new applications for individuals to apply to get a rental space at CGZ. 

This is the roof of the consultants office at the Scottsdale Airpark. It was a welcome getaway where I could take my computer and work in the sun while watching planes fly in and out. 

Six weeks in to my placement with the City I started working in Scottsdale for a contractor, the following are excerpts from writings I did at the time I was working: 

This is a TTF access gate. It allows an airplane to pass from the airpark
to the airside (airport) after an approval process with
the airport.

Week 6: I began my assignment working with a consultant at the Scottsdale Airpark. The assignment is to assist John Mayer, a leading airport property specialist in the country, on gaining Through-The-Fence (TTF) Access by the FAA for CGZ. It’s an important task that will help to build the Donovan M. Kramer Sr. Industrial Airpark and help get CGZ more financially stable. The task includes researching the TTF requirements and looking at other airports that have already gained access. I am then required to help build the documents that the FAA needs to approve the access.

TTF, most simply put, allows airplanes stored in the airpark to enter the airside (airport) through various fences along the border between the airpark and the airside. Granting this access can be a security breach therefore every precaution must be made. It requires drafting new agreements, updating the gate access, and revamping the current standards in place for the airport, and creating new ones for the airpark.

It's 80 feet across to allow for an airplane to pass through. There are a lot of regulations made by the FAA to gain approval for this process to take place and the gates being up to par is barely scratching the surface.

Week 8: I have been continuing my work with the TTF project. After a meeting with the airport manager, I had a clearer sense of direction in regards to the needs of the airport as well as the direction of the airpark. After a tour of the Scottsdale Airport I was able to see the needs and the changes that must take place in CGZ to be up to par. It’s also incredibly important to remember the different needs of the two airports. SDL and CGZ are two completely different worlds in regards to the clientele that each serve. SDL is business travelers and private jet owners on both business and luxury travel trips. CGZ is more of the weekend hobbyist who likes to take their little plane on mini adventures. 

Vehicle Access gates are much smaller and only approved vehicles are allowed to enter the airside. 

These gates must also be kept up to strict guidelines, including always waiting on the other side for the gate to close after you. They are all always being monitored by security cameras and if anyone is found breaking any of the rules, at any of the gates (air or vehicle) there are strict consequences.

Week 13: With Monday being the holiday, Tuesday was a long day in preparation for the meeting with Richard. Making multiple copies and putting together the presentation binders for the TTF access proposal was tedious but rewarding. To have three full binders at the end of the day ready to move forward was a great feeling. It’s incredibly helpful to be able to see your work laid out like that in front of you. Wednesday was the first day in the office since before RECon and I’m going to ship out a prize from the conference. This prize is a signed authentic soccer jersey autographed by the Seattle Sounders FC.

The meeting with John and Richard went well. Richard is going to forward out the documents to members of the board as well as the risk manager and the city attorney to make sure that everything is as it should be. The next step is meeting with the FAA for a first interview. 

After the final meeting with John and Richard, copies of the documents were given to board members, the attorney, the risk manager, and the fire marshall. Even in the final weeks leading up to the end, I never heard back from everyone. I don't like leaving things left undone, however, this project was so big it was quite unlikely I was going to be able to finish it before my time was done.


On a slightly different side note, there was a fun experience with the consultant where I was invited to attend a BBQ held by one of John's clients. The CEO of shamrock foods grilled us some fantastic burgers that we enjoyed next to their jet in their airpark hangar. We got a tour of the plane and were invited to see another hangar managed by John that houses a detailing business. Here are a few goodies from that day.

This is the Shamrock Foods charter and their hangar. 

The front of the charter jet. The towels were all monogramed with and included the shamrock logo. 

The back of the charter jet. These are the ladies I worked with at Airport Property. Stephanie, the girl in front of me is also getting her MPA from another program.

This is a large jet from another hangar that we were checking on. It was getting detailed while we were there. It was massive!

The clients leave their cars while they are away on their planes. When they come back, they are sparkly new. It was a busy day for the business because we had just had a dust storm the day before.

This was a brand new Bentley that they were detailing after the owner purchased it. It was a very, very pretty car.