RENO STEAD AIRPORT ASSOCIATION
Meeting Minutes
April 9, 2019
The Reno Stead Airport Association (RSAA) bi-monthly general meeting was called to order by President Tom Hall at 5:11 pm at the Reno Stead Terminal Conference Room, Tuesday, April 9, 2019 as follows:
Welcome and Attendance: Tom Hall, President, welcomed all to the meeting. Association Officers Jack Buchold, Secretary; Dave Miller, Treasurer; Tracy Rhodes, IT Manager; and Director Bob McLaughlin were in attendance. Board Members not in attendance were Lew Gage, Lin Manning, Terry Matter, RARA Representative, Alby Redick, Aviation Classics, and Dan Ross. Guest Member Mike Scott was in attendance as well.
Members/Guests In Attendance: Special Guest(s): Shaun Carey and Art Sperber, RTAA Trustees, were in attendance as were about fifteen other individuals from the Stead aircraft related community.
1. Minutes of Last Meeting: The Minutes of the previous general membership meeting had been previously reviewed without comment.
2. Financial Report: Dave Miller noted that the balance in our account was $3,372.22, and the previous financial report had noted a balance of over $3 thousand in our account as well.
We were reminded that The new membership year began January 1, 2019 and ends December 31, 2019, dues are $20 per year. Dues can be paid: check by mail at:
Reno Stead Airport Association
5499 Alpha Avenue
Reno, NV 89506
or PayPal from the Website (www.steadusers.org), or cash/check to Dave Miller at the Miller Speed Sports hangar.
3. Membership Report: Jack Buchold reiterated as Dave Miller had noted, there were 124 individuals on our roster, however, the previous membership report had noted 86 names on our email distribution list, 65 paid memberships, and an opening rate of about 80% on our emails.
4. Program: The program was provided by Ben Scott, (formerly of Scott Motors) and focused on his Stearman 4E Speedmail, and its history since purchase by his dad in 1928. Forty Speedmails had been built, he bought one so that he could fly from Reno to LA non-stop, later the aircraft became a crop-duster, was restrored and spent twelve years in a museum, then was purchased by him in 1985 and brought back to the family. He elaborated on his history with the aircraft, the numerous adventures flying with other related aircraft owners, and the two stints flying airmail routes, including the transcontinental air mail route in September of 2008, from San Francisco to New York along with Addison Pemberton, George Perks, Larry Tobin, and Al Halloway. It was a very informative presentation, with an abundance of gorgeous aircraft slides, and great perspectives on historic aircraft building, restoration, and building from scratch.
5. RTS Manager’s Report: Mike Scott, RTS Airport Manager provided update information on two primary topics: airport maintenance and upcoming drone testing. Next Monday, new paint will start to be applied to the control tower, and crack filling will start on runway 14/32, with fog sealing on 8/26. In mid May, the building remediation undertaken on the building just south of the tower will be finished, and the building will be demolished. Road construction should be started soon, with about a sixty day time frame on completion. Starting April 29, drone testing will begin here on Stead, with flying among buildings to ”see and avoid” obstacles, finalization about May 10 on Stead. Thereafter, tests will begin in the “urban canyon” of Reno around the Auto Museum. There are a number of interested parties to the testing, including Amazon and Uber.
He also noted that Saturday, April 13, you and your aircraft could get a formal portrait by Carl Shen, a noted local aviation photographer, starting at 8AM. With permission, Mike would put together a “We Are Stead” eScrapbook and likely a banner, to note our existence.
Aviation Classics is also hosting a Cirrus aircraft open house on that day. Mike encouraged all to come out and show off their prize denizen of the air.
The CAF is also hopping on the bandwagon that day, showing their 1941 Navy primary air trainer starting at 9AM. and cooking hotdogs at noon.
Mike had previously reminded us that if you would like to contact him, his twitter feed is @RTSAV8TR
6. RARA Trustee Liaison Report: Shaun Carey said that they were working hard on a budget for next year, operating revenues were up this year over last, they are working on adding more escalators and elevators, including jet bridges for the terminals, and NDOT has about a $50 million project for widening Plumb with “diversion lanes” as are used at Moana. He noted that Mike’s budget was about $871,000 for next year.
7. RARA Report: Terry Matter was not in attendance.
Webmaster Report: Tracy Rhodes was not requested to provide an update, due to the late time. Our address is still https://steadusers.org. The most recent newsletter is on our site under “newsletters”, and the pictorial representation of Mike Scott’s extensive report is a headline banner on our website.
Last Noted April 2017
WiFi Status: Current Stead_Users_West Password is: Jan2015-SteadU. The Stead Users internet transmitter is intended to be Ramp Access WiFi only and coverage is not expected to extend to hangars located south of the parking apron. Frequently navigation devices are timing out before the download is complete. For those desiring their own personal high speed internet connection, please contact Robert Andrews at: robert@avantwireless.com.
9. RTAG Report: Bob Meurer did not speak, due to the time.
10.
Next Board Meeting: May 11, 2019
Next RSAA General Meeting: June 11, 2019
Program is KURT HAUKOHL, State Aviation Manager, NDOT
Subsequent Board Meeting: July 9, 2019
Subsequent General Meeting: August 13, 2019
Program is MIKE REYNOLDS, EAA Young Eagles Program
11. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 PM
Jack Buchold, Secretary
RENO STEAD AIRPORT ASSOCIATION (RSAA) MISSION STATEMENT:
To represent the interests of all Tenants on the Reno-Stead Airport including Aircraft Owners, Fixed Base Operators, Aircraft Repair Facilities, United States Government Agencies and all parties of interest;
To ensure that all Tenants have the opportunity to speak with a united voice to the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority (owner of the airfield facility), the Federal Aviation Administration and the Local Governments relative to safe and affordable flying in Northern Nevada;
To enrich and promote the reputation of General Aviation within our community; and To promote a “Good Neighbor” policy with the Nevada National Guard, support facility improvements that enhance the Tenant experience and encourage affordable services, fuel prices and hangar rentals from all service providers operating at the Reno Stead Facility.