March 19, 2013 In search of... astral power

The Liberty Gazette

March 19, 2013

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Mike: "Let’s go catch a comet," Linda said to me last week. At first I thought she was kidding, but her friend Sarah was going to take off from the West Houston Airport and fly west until she saw the Pan-STAARS comet. It was to appear shortly after sunset just below and to the left of the small sliver of a crescent moon. So I packed up the GPS and met Linda at the hangar where she already had completed her pre-flight, fueled the airplane and was ready to go.

Hangar neighbor, Jeff, had just returned from a flight in his Bonanza and asked, "Where you off to," so we told him about the comet. A NASA guy, Jeff thought of joining us. He was curious where we’d go for the search and what altitude would be best for aerial comet viewing; Linda, on the other hand, would only respond with a claim that we were going to catch that comet and capture its supersonic astral power for racing fuel. After deciding to pack it in for the night, Jeff hollered over his shoulder, "If you get any extra comet juice bring some back for me." Linda of course had a price in mind, but was also prompted to broadcast that message and taunt our fellow air racers via a group email about how they’d wish they had comet juice in their tanks too, and perhaps they’d like to buy some.

Linda: What can I say? It’s good for competition.

Because of airline traffic at Bush and Hobby airports we took a route to the south of Houston’s busy air space but doing so requires careful attention to stay clear of a small airport called B & B Airpark where people intentionally jump out of perfectly good airplanes – especially on nice clear days – and the last jumps of the day were taking place from 15,000 feet. As we cleared the outskirts and city lights the sun was scooching down, tucking itself comfortably in to the horizon. It would be under cover shortly but its radiance would continue to overpower any trace of a comet for several minutes. Eventually we spied the sliver of moon, looking like the faint grin of a Cheshire cat saying, "Can you see me now?" From there we began searching for the comet and about that time radio traffic lit up as Sarah was climbing westbound in a Cessna and asked if we’d found the comet yet. Then a third aircraft arrived on the frequency, checking in with his position report, and now three intrepid airplanes flew their occupants trying to catch a glimpse of something that was only discovered eighteen months ago with an new astronomical tool called the Pan-STARRS telescope system.

Maximum sunset enjoyment registered as hues went from gold to orange to red to lavender to light blue to dark blue and finally to black. Taking our time we loitered about just west of Wharton, turning to and fro always keeping an eye on the moon and looking for the slightest sign of a feathery tail near it, but saw none.

Stood up by a comet, that’s a first. Still, the hunt got us out for a nice sunset flight, even if I do have to eat my taunting words later about that astral power fuel.

www.ElyAirLines.blogspot.com

March 12, 2013 Still guiding his town

The Liberty Gazette

March 12, 2013

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Mike:　Streaming lines of landing lights and strobes funnel in from all directions especially noticeable if you’re driving back to Liberty from Humble after dark on a Sunday, commercial air travel rush-hour, when airlines are landing to the west on any of Bush Intercontinental Airport’s three east-west runways.

Airplanes are marshaled through a system of arrivals that merge into approaches with precise procedures created for safety, efficiency, and orderliness. These "roads in the sky" have waypoints, sort of like signs except that you can only see them on certain navigation equipment in the cockpit, and all these procedures and waypoints have names, many of which reflect the locale over which they stand watch.

One such special waypoint is close to us here in Liberty. Where airplanes coming from the northwest make a turn almost due west they are at an intersection of radio frequencies emitting from transmitters on the ground. That particular intersection, which has also become a GPS satellite waypoint of the same name, is the marker that indicates where to turn for the final approach to Intercontinental’s middle runway, 26 Left, and where a descent may be made from 7,000’ to 5,000’.

Linda:　Why is this waypoint so significant? Because it is named after a very important man: Dr. Haden McKay. "MKAYE Intersection" honors the man who served decades as the town doctor and mayor of the City of Humble, until he retired from politics (but not medicine) at age 87. It was on that occasion in 1995 when then Congressman Jack Fields said that Dr. McKay, more　than any other single individual, was responsible for bringing about the city’s transformation from a small town with board walks and dirt streets to a modern community.　An avid supporter of the airport, he understood the great benefits it would bring to his town and was instrumental in making it happen.

Dr. Haden McKay joined his father’s medical practice in Humble when he returned from serving our country in the Army Medical Corps. The elder Dr. McKay used to see patients in Dayton and Liberty and would have to traverse the sometimes swelling waters of Lake Houston via a "low water crossing". The bridge you cross today to reach Atascocita, Humble, and beyond bears his name because where he saw a need he found a way to fill it. His son likewise discovered numerous ways to help his community, which is why you travel McKay Drive to reach the hospitals in Humble.

But for a more personal glimpse, my pop-in-law remembers Dr. McKay as "one for common people." He had concern for his patients, was stern but respectful, addressing others as "Mr." or "Mrs." Even my Mamaw-in-law, his nurse for 35 years, he called "Mrs. Street." Of the 4,000 babies he delivered one very special one he ushered into the world 47 years and four days ago today was my (late) husband, Mycol Street.

Dr. McKay loved helping people, hunting and fishing, and politics, but when someone from Washington paid him three visits to convince him to serve in Congress he declined, saying he was a small town doctor and that was where he would stay. It is only fitting then that a waypoint in the sky directing those who fly the big iron that bring thousands to Humble every day carry his name. From the love for his town, through MKAYE Intersection the good doctor-mayor still guides Humble daily.

www.ElyAirLines.blogspot.com

March 5, 2013 Life is....

The Liberty Gazette

March 5, 2013

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Linda: Funny, life is sometimes. Many years ago when one of my now grown children was a toddler she had some pretty extensive surgery and was in a body cast for two months. Nothing life-threatening, but crippling and definitely a challenge to deal with daily. Some of the ladies in our church got together and filled a basket with small wrapped gifts so that my precious little casted daughter could have something to look forward to, opening a new present every day she was immobilized. That was about 1985. I wasn’t flying then and didn’t really have any interest in airplanes. Being a mommy took all of my time and interest. I have some great friends like that who are devoted to their parental roles, for instance, a friend I’ll call Lisa (that's not her real name and I’ve changed all the names in this story for privacy).

We first met Lisa and her family when they brought their oldest child to a Young Eagles event, one in which Mike and I had joined with other pilots to take children for airplane rides. This happened to be a group of Boy Scouts and we all met at an airport south of Houston. Mike and I took turns taking kids up in our airplane while other pilots did likewise in theirs for this very popular and established program offered by the Experimental Aircraft Association.

While little Johnny was flying with Mike, Lisa and I struck up a conversation and have been friends ever since. She’s an attentive and creative, loving mother and I enjoy keeping up with her life through social networks. That’s how I learned her youngest child had taken a nasty fall. Her sweet little angel – I’ll just call her Angel – got out of their sight for only a moment while visiting grandpa in a hospital out of town. The flight from second to first floor was quick and it resulted in a broken leg. Apparently the doctors needed to set it in such a way that put her in a half body cast, from the waist fully down one leg and half way down the other.

I thought of my own experience with a toddler in a body cast and remembered the thoughtfulness of my sweet friends so many years ago. Several of Lisa’s friends quickly filled a basket with wrapped gifts so the little Angel would have something to open every day she’s in the cast, and supplemented that with a special gift bag for Mommy – one filled with encouraging verses, each rolled in a scroll – to help her take this one day at a time.

Back on the day of that Young Eagles event this little Angel wasn’t even a glint in her father’s eye, yet a connection was made through a great program that not only benefited all the kids who flew that day, but provided an opportunity to pass on a blessing. I hadn’t seen little Johnny since the day he and his Scout group came to fly with us. When we arrived at their house to deliver the gifts I asked him if he remembered flying in an airplane and when I explained it was my husband with whom he had flown, he gasped, the memory of that experience lit up his face as he recalled his first time to fly.

Funny, life is sometimes.

www.ElyAirLines.blogspot.com]

February 26, 2013 Skunk Works

The Liberty Gazette

February 26, 2013

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Mike: One foggy Friday evening after landing and offloading my cargo of bank mail and cancelled checks I was sitting in the Piper Lance completing the last of my paperwork, parked facing the final approach for runway 8 at Burbank airport. Out of the murkiness loomed a mass of lights reminiscent of the eerie scene in the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind when the huge space ship arrives. The mammoth Lockheed C-5A Galaxy arrived at Burbank every third Friday about 11 o’clock p.m. It landed and taxied up the other runway because there was no taxiway big enough to handle the giant airplane, and departed 30 minutes later. All the lights would dim to conceal the covert activity. Whatever it carried was not public knowledge. They had business with the Skunk Works.

When someone says "skunk works" people often think of engineers brainstorming in research and development operations under the cloak of secrecy. Such was the case at Lockheed’s Advanced Development Project which adopted "Skunk Works" as their official alias, a play on Al Capp’s 1940’s comic strip Li’l Abner where the "Skonk Works" was a dilapidated factory in a remote location with its "inside man" producing skunk oil. One day, according to the memoirs of Lockheed employee Ben Rich, an engineer came to work wearing a gas mask as a joke referencing the smell and secrecy surrounding a project there. When fellow engineer, Irving Culvert, carried the gag further by answering the phone with, "Skonk Works, inside man Culvert," project leader and engineering genius Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was not amused. Culvert later said that when Johnson heard about the way he answered the phone, he fired him but that, "it really didn’t matter since he was firing me about twice a day anyways." The name stuck but on request of the comic strip copyright holders Lockheed changed the name to Skunk Works.

This top secret factory at the Lockheed Air Terminal in Burbank was moved to their Palmdale plant in the 1990’s, but during WWII the airport was covered with netting replicating houses, camouflaging it while they built airplanes for the war, such as the P-38 Lightning, the fast twin boom tailed fighter that was so successful in the Pacific theater. It’s also the origin of the United States’ first operational jet fighter, the P-80 Shooting Star, a project so secret that for flight testing the P-80 was fitted with an artificial propeller so that if anyone saw it they would think it’s just another airplane. By the way, chief test pilot Tony LeVier was flying the P-80 when its jet engine blew up and knocked off the tail. He escaped and later test-flew other aircraft like the F-104 Star Fighter.

That factory birthed some incredible flying machines, engineering marvels, including the iconic SR-71 Blackbird and the U-2 Black Lady spy planes. The SR-71 has been retired but U-2s, the most difficult plane to fly in the Air Force’s arsenal, are still being flown.

On that Friday evening back in 1985 I later learned that C-5A was picking up F-117 Stealth Fighters, transporting them to a Nevada Test Range. Guess I did have a close encounter of some kind.

www.ElyAirLines.blogspot.com

February 19, 2013 FAA

The Liberty Gazette

February 19, 2013

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely
　
Linda:　I subscribe to way too many aviation publications, even some that are government-produced. But grant me forgiveness if you will because those government publications I’ve seen as somewhat of a necessity, at least before Liberty had a full time airport manager with presumably appropriate authority. The FAA publishes advisory circulars on airport-related topics and one can sign up to receive notices on a vast array of aviation subjects. One such is the immediate notification each time someone files a request to invade the airspace with a dangerous obstacle. I’ve been receiving these notices for years now, always watching out for anything proposed that might be too close to the Liberty Airport. Our airport cannot and should not have to afford another obstacle sticking up in its protected zone. Yes, there is a protected zone. It’s called a Height Hazard Zone and it fans out sort of like stadium seats around the airport. The purpose is to protect both pilot and passenger in the airplane as well as people on the ground. Fortunately, there’s an approval process for such spears that reduce safety in the sky, however compromising it may be. The market for cell phones is big enough to carry some political clout, which means those of us who break the bonds of gravity must adjust to thousands of more-than-annoying aerial swords.

And then there are the frequently delivered notices of civil penalties levied against aviation companies for some alleged violation. This one has me very curious. Don’t you wonder where your money goes when it leaves you by law? When the self-aggrandizing Washington elites take your hard-earned dollars before you even get to touch them, and squander that money on who-knows-what (now much worse than measly $5,000 hammers) don’t you wonder what it is you helped pay for by getting up so early and going to work the first four months of the year? Well, I wonder that too, and I also wonder about the destination of the money paid in FAA fines, often by airlines and aviation parts companies. I typically see announcements of fines levied anywhere from $200,000 to well over a million dollars. I highly suspect, it being government and all, that much of this is political, and that not all of it is actually paid. So how much is paid, and where does it end up? Do these "revenues" go into the general fund, the FAA’s budget or some other dark hole? I’m an American citizen so I should be able to find that out, right? Well, keep barking, Sparky – so far, no luck. I haven’t submitted a Freedom of Information request yet but when I’ve asked the FAA I’ve been given the run-around. Responses that pass the buck and eventually try the "who are you and why are you asking" game that end up with "you’ll have to ask our government lawyers," are all they seem to be able to muster. So it leaves me wondering all the more, what have they to hide?

If these people who scheme and squander would spend that energy on honesty and productive work I doubt the fines would be much to question. Then I’d have to find something else to read when we’re not flying.

www.ElyAirLines.blogspot.com

February 12, 2013 Anderson Greenwood and the AG-14, part 2

The Liberty Gazette

February 12, 2013

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Linda: Last week we started a story about the Anderson-Greenwood AG-14, an unusual airplane built in Houston from 1950 to 1953. The design has resurfaced a few times with interest in restarting production. In the early 1960s C. G. Taylor, designer of the much loved Piper Cub and the Taylorcraft, and his friend Ray Hubert produced a bunch of parts thinking they’d resuscitate it and call it the Space Coupe, but it never made it into production. Later in 1969, Cessna Aircraft Company made careful consideration and bought one of the six AG-14s with plans to modify it as a replacement for their venerable Cessna 150 training airplane. Eventually they shelved the idea, redesigning the 150 which became the 152 which, although only built from 1977 to 1985, remains a popular trainer today.

Meanwhile Anderson-Greenwood kept manufacturing parts for other aircraft companies and other industries as well. In the early 1970s Marvin Greenwood decided he wasn’t through with building airplanes of his own design and came up another completely different idea. It was originally labeled Design #51 but would later be changed to the T-250 Aries. Anderson-Greenwood built the first one in Houston for certification then went in search of an aircraft factory.

Mike: The Bellanca Aircraft Company of Alexandria, Minnesota has been around a long time. It was one of the companies that turned down Charles Lindbergh when he asked them to build an airplane that would cross the Atlantic. Oh the regret…but that’s all water under the bridge, or air past the propeller. By the ‘70s Bellanca was producing a high performance single engine airplane called the Super Viking. For as fast as it was, over 200 mph, it was built using rather antiquated technology. And, it only had four seats. The wings were made of wood and the fuselage was steel tube framed with a fiberglass-like fabric covering called Dacron. The Viking was too heavy and couldn’t compete with Beechcraft’s Bonanza or Cessna’s Centurion, both made of aluminum and seating up to six people, so Anderson-Greenwood saw an opportunity and bought the Bellanca company and began building their airplane in Minnesota.

They made their T-250 out of aluminum and with seating up to five it looked as much ahead of its time in the 1970s as the AG-14 did in its day. It flew at 208 mph and the futuristic looking “T” tail made it look something like a jet. Alas, the Aries suffered the same fate as the AG-14, never finding its market. Only four more came off the line before production stopped in 1980 just as the ambulance-chasing liability fiasco that befell the general aviation industry was getting into full swing.

Linda: One of our Saturday morning breakfast buddies, John, who mostly hangs out in Baytown making airplane frames and other interesting things, once owned AG-14 serial number 2, which has had an interesting journey. John knows a lot about the history of the little-known airplane and the whereabouts of the surviving four out of five made. He found several trailer loads worth of parts up in Washington and shared that intel with Dave Powell, of Arkansas, whose father once worked for Anderson-Greenwood. In honor of his dad Dave used those parts to rebuild AG-14 serial number 5 which we saw at a fly-in in Oklahoma a few years ago. It is indeed a unique airplane.
www.ElyAirLines.blogspot.com

February 5, 2013 Anderson Greenwood and the AG-14

The Liberty Gazette

February 5, 2013

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Linda: Anderson Greenwood, a subsidiary of Tyco Flow Control, makes pressure relief valves, tank blanketing products, instrumentation valves and manifolds. But it wasn’t always that way. Once upon a time three Houstonians who worked together at Boeing in Seattle during WWII returned to Houston and set out to build the perfect light airplane.

Ben Anderson and Marvin Greenwood were brothers-in-law, and Lomis was their friend and fellow aeronautical engineer. The men first flew their prototype in 1947 and after producing only five more the U.S. went to war in Korea, reducing the supply of aluminum and ending production of the Anderson Greenwood AG-14.

It’s a most unusual-looking little thing. Some say its cabin shape is like that of an egg, others are reminded of a Volkswagen Bug, and still others liken it to a motorcycle sidecar. But all who know of the rare airplane will tell you, it was ahead of its time.

The wings are behind the cabin, and the tail is a twin boom like Lockheed’s P-38 “Lightning”. The doors, designed to be like car doors, make for easy ingress and egress on both sides. It went into production in1950 and in the December issue of Flying Magazine that year, after Marvin Greenwood took him for a ride in the plane, writer Ed Hoadley reported, “Getting into the airplane is one of the easiest things I've done in months. You simply sit down on the seat, pull your legs in, and you're ready to depart. Women pilots and modest wives may now enjoy the pleasures of flying without the singular embarrassments that they have encountered in the past.”

Mike: Great visibility was the primary goal so the propeller is in the back, which is why we call this type of airplane a “pusher”. I’ve even seen it called “pea pod pusher.” Those who have flown in it rave about the visibility, especially considering it’s time in history. Some say the view is like riding in the front seat of a roller coaster, which made it good for aerial photography and pipeline inspection flying. The engine is started with a foot starter and the whole airplane is only 22 feet long and seven-foot-nine inches high, with room for only two seats. The most it can weigh and still fly is 1,400 lbs. That includes 850 pounds of the airplane itself, and fuel, at six pounds per gallon. With the original 90-horsepower engine and wings that stick out more than 34 feet, by the time it reaches 55 mph it starts flying, maxing out at 120 mph. If you slow down and conserve fuel you can keep flying for four hours.

Ben Anderson, Marvin Greenwood, and Lomis Slaughter Jr. agreed that their company name would be Anderson Greenwood. They left Slaughter’s name out for concern about the impact it might have on sales, but at least he’s listed as one of the patent owners.

The trio and their small staff made this cool little airplane a few miles south of Bellaire along highway 90 at the Sam Houston Airport, which was long ago replaced by a subdivision. When the Korean War broke out Anderson Greenwood turned to producing aircraft parts for other manufacturers. There’s more to this interesting Houston-based story, including a couple of very well-known aircraft companies who were so impressed with the AG-14 that they bought one. We’ll continue next week. Until then, blue skies.

www.ElyAirLines.blogspot.com

January 29, 2013 Cleveland Airport gets new manager

The Liberty Gazette

January 29, 2013

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Linda: Liberty County’s two public airports are experiencing new life. While Jose Doblados and Debbie Mabery overhaul the Liberty Municipal Airport, Clay and Darline Dean are busy in the north end of the county.

Cleveland native, Clay Dean, grandson of a former constable there, grew up in New Caney and started a carpet installation business now serving hotels nationwide. Only recently has aviation invaded his life, and Darline’s, his best buddy since fourth grade.

While assisting Darline’s sister in her battle against breast cancer, they befriended another patient at M.D. Anderson who needed a place to stay. Their extra apartment in New Caney would be perfect for the schoolteacher/mom who had been traveling for appointments.

It was the mode of travel that caught Clay’s attention. “A pilot from Oklahoma had flown her to Conroe for her appointment, and that’s how I found out about how flying helps people,” says the new Cleveland Airport Manager. “I said to Darline, ‘we can do that.’”

Mike: He’d never flown before, but in less than four years Clay has earned his private, instrument, commercial, certified flight instructor, and certified instrument instructor certificates, and is licensed to fly multi-engine airplanes.

Working with Pilots for Patients Clay flies people in, then Darline handles ground transportation. “Instead of the hundred-dollar-hamburger,” explains Clay, referring to the popular phrase for flying somewhere to eat, “we do this.”

And he goes beyond that, inviting pilots working toward a commercial license to join him for these flights because it gives them an opportunity to build time that counts toward the commercial certificate, and “introduces them to helping others.”

After installing state-of-the-art avionics in their Bonanza, thanking God for all he has received, Clay asked in prayer, “Lord, You gave us all we have, what do You want us to do with it?” Clay says, “There was no mistaking it was God’s answer – I couldn’t think that up that fast!” The message was, “GPSS stands for God’s Plan for Salvation and Security.” God had provided these tools for Clay’s evangelism.

Explaining “fixes” – locations in the air for navigation – he describes how there was a time when he could pick the “fixes” in life; he could choose where he wanted to go. But turning his life over to God is like having a GPS that tells the traveler through life, “if this is where you want to end up, here is how you get there.”

Linda: Before retiring after 26 years as the airport manager, Alf Vien set in motion the processes that would lead to growth, including new hangars and an additional 12 acres of land. The Deans will see these plans to fruition, and have added some new plans, including offering airplanes for rent and instruction, a full-time maintenance facility, and a courtesy car.

Life at the airport is a family affair. Clay’s sister Pam helps with computer work when she’s not traveling in her job as a landman, and Darline helps fuel airplanes, mow grass, and clean bathrooms. When I asked Darline to tell me something about herself, truly a lady, what she talked about was how wonderful her grandchildren are.

Seeing how the Dean family has taken such a liking to the people who come and go at the Cleveland Airport, the community and patrons of the airport will all benefit.

www.ElyAirLines.blogspot.com

January 22-29 New Faces at the Liberty Municipal Airport

The Liberty Gazette

Feature article appearing January 22-29

New Faces at Liberty Municipal Airport
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

The Liberty Municipal Airport has been undergoing many improvements in the past few months, probably the best of which is a full time, professional airport manager. Tackling the big job since April 24, 2012 is Jose Doblado, with his very friendly and thoughtful wife, Debbie Mabery at his side. The time is long overdue for the airport to receive the attention it deserves, the break that will bring it up to its potential, and Jose is here to do the job.

As far back as he can remember Jose has been interested in aviation. His first opportunity to join the winged world came in 2001 when he secured a position with TACA Airlines in Panama City, Panama. By the time he left six years later he had become a sales executive for the airline and was eager to further his career. Upon his return to Houston he entered Texas Southern University and earned a bachelor’s degree in aviation management, graduating Magna Cum Laude. His internship at Houston Southwest Airport gave him an opportunity to experience first-hand what it’s like to manage a small general aviation airport. At large commercial airline airports everything is departmentalized and workers specialize in a particular field. Conversely, a typical small general aviation airport requires that one person, or sometimes a small group of people handle all the affairs of the airport. This is no office job. It’s hard work, often requiring physical labor, but always requiring the mental aptitude and cheerful attitude that will make an airport successful.

Jose and Debbie are a team and knew Jose’s taking on the job here would be a lot of work, and they were up to the task because they could see both the potential for the airport as well as the great experience available to them. Debbie left her job as a teacher to join Jose in this adventure, which began with daily “trash walks” just to clean up the area. She probably didn’t dream she’d be doing that back when she earned her Master’s degree in education and was teaching at the university level, but to meet this kind lady is to immediately understand what a great compliment she is to Jose.

Jose’s top priorities for the airport are safety-related, but he also has a marketing plan that will get the airport’s name out there, both with the local general public (because believe it or not there are still people who don’t know Liberty has an airport) and with the aviation community.

Jose and Debbie live on the airport property, and just their presence certainly deters the mischief that has long gone on there. More lighting and completed fencing around the property also contribute to increased safety and security for this public asset, keeping the airport secure from vandals, and more visible to passers-by, increasing awareness. Properly working runway lights also greatly improve safety for pilots, as will taxiway lights someday.

Drainage has long been a problem at the airport as mud and gunk have built up in the drainage ditch over years. Jose understands the problems this poses for the airport: everything from inhibiting development, to flooding the property and risking damage to tenants’ airplanes, to attracting wildlife.

Wildlife is a major issue for all airports, and Liberty is no exception. The pond near the runway attracts birds, which, ever since Sully’s famous Hudson River landing, the general public is now aware of just how dangerous a collision between bird and airplane can be. And, of course, gators on a runway would be an obvious danger (hunters, put your guns away) – especially for a night landing.

There are other important safety factors that may seem small to the non-flyer, but mean a great deal to the person landing the airplane. To Jose Doblado, building trust as an airport manager is imperative. Daily checks of the fuel tanks, filters, and runway lights are just the beginning of a busy day for Jose. “It’s important that our customers know that the things that need to be done regularly at an airport are being done here now,” Jose says. “We want to build their trust. Trust goes a long way toward improving the ‘face’ of Liberty.”

As for economic contribution, Jose believes that a community airport should be so well managed and maintained that it gives back to its citizens. “If you see a Citation (jet) or King Air land here it’s a good indication that business is going on in Liberty, that money is being brought in to our area, pumping directly into our local economy. That’s a win for everyone. There are so many benefits to a city that has a healthy, well-maintained airport, but that’s something that the general public often doesn’t understand. Part of my job is to show them that an airport is very good for any town.”

Debbie and Jose welcome locals to come to the airport and see the progress and meet the new folks in town. Debbie’s smile and unpretentious air will make you feel right at home. She loves being here, volunteering, “and being an ambassador for the airport,” as she says. Now that the area feels safer, people are coming out to walk and bicycle for exercise down the long entry road from FM 160, and Debbie enjoys seeing the increased activity. She’s also having a good time on the other side of the fence, a place that’s pretty new to her. “I really enjoy talking with all the pilots and learning about their airplanes. Pilots love to talk about their airplanes,” she laughs. “Like the Russian Antonov AN-2 that stopped in one day on their journey across the country from their home base in Alaska. They came here because they saw the fuel price, and that big airplane takes a lot of fuel!”

Jose and Debbie are learning as they go and it’s really paying off for the citizens of Liberty, like the time the fuel pump was acting up. “Labor rates to call someone out here to fix it would have cost the city anywhere from $60 to $90 per hour,” Jose explains, so if something breaks, he fixes it. “There aren’t really any good manuals for running an airport; it’s mostly just experience,” he says with genuine appreciation, “and we’re getting that every day.”

In addition to the completed perimeter fence and lighting, improvements made at the Liberty airport in 2012 include two 12,000-gallon fuel tanks, a resurfaced ramp, 20 T-hangars, a terminal building with pilot lounge, including a flight planning room with access to weather information nationwide, and WiFi, a courtesy car, 24-hour access via a keyless entry, making bathrooms accessible any time, and signage at the new entrance on FM 160.

What’s important to Jose, he says, is, “I want pilots to feel safe here, to know that the runway is clear of FOD (foreign object debris), that the lights work, the drainage system works, that there’s greater security here – that they’re receiving quality here.”

The outlook for the Liberty Municipal Airport is bright, and as word spreads the airport under the management of Jose Doblado will be a critical factor for future growth and economic prosperity for south Liberty County.

January 22, 2013 Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport

The Liberty Gazette

January 22, 2013

Ely Air Lines
By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Linda: It’s an exciting time for aviation in Liberty County with new managers at the public airports in both the north and south parts of the county. In addition to Liberty’s Jose Doblado, the Cleveland Municipal Airport welcomes Clay Dean to the patch. Clay is no stranger to the Cleveland Airport. The president of Aviation Services and vice president of the Cleveland Aviators Aero Club (CAAC) took over the FBO and manager job when Alf Vien retired earlier this month. We’ll have more on the Cleveland Airport next week. For now, let’s take a peek into the future, and the wider area around us.

Mike: There are 26 public-use airports in the greater Houston-Galveston area and a number of them have made or are making improvements anticipating renewed economic growth in the region. The Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport in Brazoria County near the communities of Lake Jackson and Angleton is one such airport. Developing a strong, well designed airport in the right location makes it easy for businesses to get there and get out to the rest of the world. Do that, and put out a welcome sign and businesses looking to relocate will be very interested, and will bring jobs with them. And so a real test of how serious a city or county is about economic growth is what they’re doing with their airport.

The Economic Development Alliance in Brazoria County believes in their airport. Its 20-year master plan is well underway, with a number of improvements completed since 2008. The runway has been extended to 7,000 feet, enough to accommodate small to medium sized airliners. Hobby’s longest runway is only 7,600 feet long. It’s also part of the Freeport Free Trade Zone. Construction of a new 11,000 square-foot terminal building voted on by county commissioners will be opening soon and future improvements include more public and private hangars and an air traffic control tower.

Gulf Coast Regional Aviation Director, Jeff Bilyeu, also a member of the steering committee for the FAA’s Regional Aviation System Plan, sees a bright future for the airport and the communities it serves.

Members of the county’s Economic Development Alliance joined Bilyeu at the National Business Aviation Association’s annual conference in Orlando this year to spread the word about what their airport has to offer, and they’re getting noticed. Charter operators, aircraft manufactures and non-aviation companies have shown interest in relocating to the airport and to Brazoria County because of the airport. Selling points are the transportation and business possibilities that exist and the strong pro-business attitude of the leaders of Brazoria County. Included in the master plan is a 150-acre business park for multi-use office buildings and warehouses, great compliments to areas surrounding an airport (outside the clear-zones airplanes need to take off and land safely).

Linda: This, ladies and gentlemen, is what fostering real job creation looks like. When the people who create the businesses that create jobs find a business-friendly place to locate and investment in infrastructure the incentives that brought them there are passed along to employees, which are passed along into the marketplace. It’s healthy capitalism at its best.

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