Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
When Gene Bieker took the job as the new director of the Clovis Municipal Airport, he knew he didn't have an overhaul on his hands.
"Steve left it in great shape," Bieker said of his predecessor, Steve Summers, who left Nov. 25 to take a position with the state aviation director. "This is a good airport to take over."
That's not to say there's not plenty of work to be done at what is, by size, the city's largest property at 1,460 acres. Once another 240 acres is added later this year, Bieker estimates that moving the property will take about two weeks — just enough time that the end of one mowing signals the start of the next.
Known now by its airport code as CVN, the area has been involved in aviation since its was known as Portair Field in the mid-1920s.
The airport houses numerous businesses, aircraft for Allsup's corporate office and Aerocare and three runways:
Runways are named based on magnetic compass headings.
Its busiest time has fallen over the last decade, with nearly $15 million in renovations — including an 1,800-foot extension to the 4-22 runway that should be finalized this month and summer additions of a localizer and precision approach path indicator (or PAPI).
The projects were approved through Summers' use of a Capital Improvement Plan, and paid at rate of 90-95 percent by federal dollars.
"But you have to show a need," Bieker said.
That's the reasoning behind the next project, the airport master plan. The plan, Bieker said, helps identify what the airport will need over the next 20 years.
Bieker said the plan, which has a $374,268.13 cost mostly paid by the Federal Aviation Administration, to make the airport more viable in competition for grant money.
The plan will likely take a year to complete, with no more projects planned until its completion. But Bieker said engineers working on the plan can notify airport staff if something needs to be repaired or renovated in a more immediate timeframe.
Great Lakes Airlines, which currently services Clovis, has held off plans to halt service to Albuquerque. Bieker said the issue will be revisited later this year, and that in the meantime, the airline is adding a new option for the first morning flight.
Effective Wednesday, Great Lakes offers one-hour flights from Albuquerque to Clovis at 6 a.m. and 3:35 p.m., and flights from Albuquerque to Clovis at 2:43 p.m. and 7:50 p.m. Passengers on the 6 a.m. flight can stay on the flight if they choose, and head to either Alamosa, Colo., or Denver.
