About the Master Plan Update Process
Inventory and Forecasting
In order to develop a master plan that properly fits our growing community, we first need to understand what’s already happening. To do so, the City, the airport, and their engineering firm will begin the project by diving deep into the existing airport facilities and operations. The team will develop an inventory of based planes, confirm the airport’s land and facilities, and monitor transient aircraft. The team will use that inventory to determine the most likely outcomes of future activity. Many data points are used in this determination, including the types of aircraft that currently utilize the airport, the number of operations (a take-off or landing of an airplane) of each type of aircraft, the condition of the facilities and land, and the businesses and tenants that operate at the airport. Both historical data and the current numbers are used to establish the airport forecast.
The forecast is a detailed idea of what future operations at our airport will look like. It is based on the current inventory, the airport’s historical data, and details about national and statewide aviation trends. The forecast forms the basis for effective airport planning decisions. The Federal Aviation Administration must approve the airport’s forecast before the airport can use it to update its master plan.
Alternatives
The Alternatives portion of the process seeks to integrate the facility requirements needed to accommodate the forecasted traffic with the airport sponsor’s goals for the airport. For Heber City, this means making the required safety upgrades while maintaining the smallest possible airport footprint. The project team will explore a number of potential directions for the airport. These options will be analyzed, revised, narrowed down to viable Alternatives, and presented to the public. The community is an essential voice in this process and will have ample opportunity to review the Alternatives, as well as to weigh in on which version they would like to see at Heber Valley Airport. The airport sponsor will listen to the recommendations of the community, the project team, and the Community Advisory Committee and the Technical Advisory Committee, to select the Preferred Alternative going forward. The Federal Aviation Administration must also accept the Preferred Alternative before the airport can proceed.
Creating the Final Documents
Once the Preferred Alternative has been determined, the engineering staff will assess the Alternative for fiscal, environmental, and other potential issues, and develop the final documents and plans that will guide the airport to reaching its 20-year goals. They will draft the short-, mid- and long-range projects that would be followed to implement the plan. Like any business plan, the Airport Master Plan the plan is a living document that will adjust depending on changing demand, future regulations, technological advancements, and funding availability. However, the updated Airport Master Plan will be the flightpath for the Heber Valley Airport for years to come.
Flightpath project timeline as of December 1, 2022. Subject to change.
