The Reno-Stead Airport will be hosting NASA drone testing activities from Monday May 15 thru Friday May 26, 2017. There will be five flight partners conducting flight tests over the northern 1/3 of airport property and out to the north-northeast within visual observer range. This area is about 1 ½ miles north of Runway 8/26.
Runway 8/26 will be fully available during this period. We will be distributing a handout via an upcoming Airport Tenant Bulletin that shows suggested arrival procedures for Runway 8/26 during the testing. We are programming some maintenance for Runway 14/32 during this period and we will announce that based on our staffing and equipment schedule for that maintenance after we conclude the current West Ramp maintenance.
Drone flight days are planned for:
- Thursday-Friday, May 18-19,
- Monday, May 22 currently limited to little activity;
- Tuesday-Friday, May 23-26.
Flights may begin as early as 7:00 am and conclude around 2:00 pm, subject to environmental limits of the aircraft.
Up to 5 drones could be aloft at a time, with a maximum planned altitude of 650’ AGL. Drone flights will be announced on CTAF and will remain north and northeast of the runways.
Lemmon Drive thru airport property will be closed to public traffic, and public access to airport property will be restricted from May 10 – June 2, 2017 to prepare for, set-up, conduct and tear down the Ground Control Stations.
We will distribute an Airfield Tenant Bulletin in several days with more details. If needed, we will provide updated tenant bulletins should conditions change. We will be posting appropriate NOTAMS referencing the testing area off the Mustang VOR and adding an AWOS tag. If you have questions, please let me know so I can answer them for everyone in the upcoming tenant bulletin.
Mike Scott
Reno-Stead Airport (RTS)
Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority
775.328.6573