Grants Pass Airport Report

Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport 1

OREGON AVIATION PLAN AIRPORT SUMMARY

GRANTS PASS AIRPORT

In 2018, the Oregon Department of Aviation (ODA) updated the Oregon Aviation Plan (OAP v6.0) for the state airport

system which includes 95 airports, one heliport and one seaplane base. The study area was statewide and considered both

commercial service and general aviation airports. Airports outside of Oregon in proximity to the state were considered as

well. The study includes Grants Pass Airport (3S8 or the Airport). This section focuses on the system plan’s individual

findings and recommendations for this facility as well as documenting the various benefits the Airport provides in Oregon.

Aviation system plans are top down studies that must be implemented from the bottom up by individual airports. The

ultimate success of the plan depends on each airport implementing recommendations from the study and following

through on any identified improvement actions. Individual airport improvements will result in the enhancement of overall

system performance.

Within the statewide system, the Grants Pass Airport has been designated as a Category III – Regional General Aviation

Airport in the 2007 OAP. Within the OAP, a Category III airports supports all general aviation aircraft and accommodates

corporate aviation activity, including piston and turbine engine aircraft, business jets, helicopters, gliders, and other

general aviation operations. The most demanding user requirements are business-related. These airports service a multi-

state geographic region and/or experience robust levels of general aviation activity.

Some, but not all of the study airports also have federal role definitions from the FAA. Within FAA’s ASSET Study and

National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), the Grants Pass Airport is designated as a Local General Aviation

Airport; this designation signifies the Airport’s importance to the federal system of public-use airports. From the economic

impacts it provides and the volume of business activity it serves, Grants Pass Airport has all the attributes of a Local General

Aviation Airport. Its airfield facilities are in line Local General Aviation Airport; hence the OAP v6.0 recommends that this

airport maintain this role within the NPIAS.

From a facilities standpoint, the Grants Pass Airport meets most of the objectives for an OAP Category III Airport. It is

worth noting, however, that the Airport’s own capital improvement plan and/or master plan may recommend additional

projects that it will be needed over the coming 10 years. The OAP also does not identify all maintenance, rehabilitation,

and replacement costs that could be incurred by the Airport during this period.

2 Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport

EXISTING OREGON AIRPORT SYSTEM 2018

More information on the OAP can be obtained from the ODA Aviation website at

https://www.oregon.gov/aviation/pages/index.aspx. In addition to the complete Technical Report, a statewide Executive

Summary was produced to support the OAP. More information on all OAP-related products can be obtained from ODA.

Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport 3

OREGON AIRPORT ROLES/CATEGORIES

ODA’s Oregon Aviation Plan was last published in 2007. This update to the OAP re-sets the bar for future system

performance by evaluating each airport’s facilities and services. Since 2007, a number of Oregon airports have made

progress toward meeting various performance measures. As part of this study, airport infrastructure data, aviation activity

projections and population growth in each airport’s environs were used to determine whether the airport should be

elevated to a higher OAP Category to improve overall system accessibility and performance. The OAP v6.0 also addressed

the need for airports to support resiliency efforts related to a potential Cascadia Earthquake and Tsunami Event.

Recommended categories for airports in the Oregon Aviation Plan are shown below.

OAP AIRPORT CATEGORIES

RECOMMENDED OREGON AIRPORT ROLES

Category I

Commercial Service Airport: These airports support some level of scheduled

commercial airline service in addition to supporting a full range of general aviation

aircraft activities. Commercial service includes both domestic and international

destinations. Objectives call for a minimum runway length of 6,000 feet.

Category II

Urban General Aviation Airport: These airports support all general aviation aircraft

and accommodate corporate aviation activity, including piston and turbine engine

aircraft, business jets, helicopters, gliders, and other general aviation activity. The

most demanding user requirements are business-related. These airports service a

large/multi-state geographic region or experience high levels of general aviation

activity. The minimum runway length objective for Category II airports is 5,000 feet.

Category III

Regional General Aviation: These airports support most twin and single-engine

aircraft and may accommodate occasional business jets. These airports support

regional transportation needs with a large and often sparsely populated service area.

The minimum runway length objective for Category III airports is 4,000 feet.

Category IV

Local General Aviation Airport: These airports support primarily single-engine general

aviation aircraft but are capable of accommodating smaller twin-engine general

aviation aircraft. These airports support local air transportation needs and special-use

aviation activities. The minimum runway length objective for Category IV airports is

3,000 feet.

Category V

Remote Access/Emergency Services (RAES): These airports support primarily single-

engine general aviation aircraft, special-use aviation activities, access to remote areas,

or provide emergency service access. These airports should have at least 2,500 feet of

runway.

Source: Jviation

4 Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport

GRANTS PASS AIRPORT

OVERVIEW

The City of Grants Pass is located in Josephine County, immediately south of Interstate 5. The City is approximately 60

miles north of the California border. Grants Pass Airport is situated on a 400-acre site, five miles north of the City. The

Airport, which frequently supports aerial firefighting activity, is owned and operated by Josephine County. Downtown

Grants Pass is registered as a National Historic District because of the numerous historic buildings and homes. Nearby

points of interest include Hellgate Canyon, the Rogue River, and Riverside Park. The Rogue River has been designated by

Congress as a National Wild Scenic River. The City of Grants Pass is considered by some to be the "whitewater rafting

capital" of the World. Grants Pass abounds with modem campgrounds and RV facilities, many with boat ramps and

riverside campsites. The City is host to annual events such as the world famous Boatnik Festival and Southern Oregon's

largest outdoor "growers market". Major employers in the area include a number of tourist and forestry-related businesses

as well as Rogue Community College, Three Rivers Hospital, and Siskiyou Corporation, Masterbrand Cabinet Company, and

Pacific Scientific Instruments.

Grants Pass Airport has one runway oriented in a northwest-southeast direction. This visual approach runway, Runway

13/31, measures 4,001 feet long by wide and is lighted with MIRL. This runway is also equipped with VASIs and REILs. The

runway has a non-precision approach and full-length parallel taxiway. The Airport handles an estimated 24,900 annual

operations and is home 189 based aircraft. Approximately 46 percent of the Airport's annual operations are conducted by

itinerant aircraft.

Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport 5

30-MINUTE DRIVE TIME SERVICE AREA AND POPULATION

OAP CATEGORY III AIRPORTS

Source: Jviation

Airport roles consider the characteristics of the area the airport serves. Analysis for the OAP was conducted using a

geographic information system (GIS) and a 30-minute drive time for each airport. There are approximately 74,185 residents

within a 30-minute drive of 3S8 and a labor force of approximately 30,515.

Grants Pass Airport

Population

2016 30-minute drive 74,185

2016 Associated city

37,305

Labor force

2016 30-minute drive 30,515

Source: US Census Bureau, Jviation Analysis, Oregon Zoomprospector.com,

Oregon Population Center – Portland State University

Grants Pass Airport

6 Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport

RECOMMENDED ROLE FOR

GRANTS PASS AIRPORT

Each airport’s level generally reflects the type of aircraft and customers the airport serves as well as the characteristics of

the airport’s service area. Grants Pass Airport will remain a Category III – Regional General Aviation Airport within the OAP.

As a Category III airport, the OAP has identified certain facilities and services that should ideally be in place. These

objectives are considered the “minimums” to which the Airport should be developed. Based on local needs and other

justifications, it is quite possible that the Airport could exceed its minimum development objectives established in the

OAP. Grants Pass Airport’s specific objectives, as they pertain to the Airport’s Category III role in the state airport system,

are listed below.

OBJECTIVES FOR CATEGORY III – REGIONAL GENERAL AVIATION MINIMUM

STANDARD GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT

Airside Facilities

Airport ARC: C-III

NPIAS: Yes

Based Aircraft: ≥10 (NPIAS Standard)

Runway orientation: 95% wind coverage

(combined primary/secondary rwy)

Runway Pavement Type: Bituminous, Concrete

PCI: 60

Runway Pavement Strength: Varies by Airport*

(≥12,500 lbs.)

Runway length: Minimum 4,000 feet

Runway width: 75 feet

Taxiway: Partial parallel or Turnarounds

Lighting systems: MIRL and MITL

Approach: Non Precision

Visual Approach Aids: One Runway End

Instrument Approach Aids: Not an Objective

Runway Lighting: MIRL

Taxiway Lighting: MITL

Fencing: Operations area at a minimum; entire

airport desirable

General Aviation Facilities

Rotating Beacon: Yes

Weather reporting: AWOS or ASOS

Lighted Wind Indicator: Yes

Hangared aircraft storage: 75% of based aircraft

fleet

Apron parking/storage: 30% of Daily Transient

Terminal/Building: Small meeting area

Auto parking: Minimal (tenant/public)

Fencing: Terminal Area; controlled access

Cargo: Space on Existing Apron Area

Deicing Facility: Not an Objective

Services

Fuel: 100 LL & Jet A (24-hour self-service)

FBO : Full Service (normal business hours)

Transportation: Courtesy /Offsite Rental Car

Food Service: Vending

Restrooms: Yes

Pilot Lounge: Yes w/ Weather Reporting Station

Snow Removal: Yes (coastal airports exempt)

Telephone: Yes

Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport 7

GRANTS PASS AIRPORT

PROJECTIONS OF AVIATION DEMAND

Over the past 10 years, general aviation has experienced a general decline on a nationwide basis and in Oregon. The high

cost of acquiring and maintaining a general aviation aircraft, the cost to secure a private pilot’s license, competing

opportunities for allocation of disposable income, the economic recession, along with significant increases in the cost of

aviation fuel, have all contributed to a contraction in general aviation demand.

Recent economic recovery and increased use of general aviation as a tool to improve business efficiency have helped to

stabilize the general aviation industry. For most airports in Oregon, however, including Grants Pass Airport, anticipated

growth in general aviation demand will be modest at best. The two graphs below show projections of based aircraft and

annual general aviation operations for Grants Pass Airport as they were developed in the OAP v6.0.

Three based aircraft projection methodologies were developed in this forecast. The bottom-up methodology produced an

average annual growth rate of 0.8 percent and the top-down methodology based on historical Per Capita Real GDP

produced the highest average annual growth rate, of the three projections, at 1.6 percent. The alternative top-down

methodology utilizing FAA Terminal Area Forecast (TAF) projections for NPIAS airports in Oregon produced more moderate

growth rate. Comparing the results of the forecasts indicated that the historical Per Capita Real GDP projection had the

strongest growth, but was considered to be overly optimistic, since sustaining a 1.6 percent GDP growth rate over the

planning period is unlikely. Therefore, the more conservative bottom-up growth rate of 1.1 percent, which is based on FAA

TAF growth rates for based aircraft, was chosen as the preferred forecast. Based aircraft at Grants Pass Airport are

projected to increase from 189 in 2017 to 230 by 2035.

The results from the three general aviation operations projection methodologies developed in this forecast are compared

in the graphs below. The bottom-up methodology produced an average annual growth rate of 1.1 percent while the top-

down methodology based on FAA Hours Flown projections produced an average annual growth rate of 0.9 percent. The

alternative top-down methodology based on historical GDP growth produced an average annual growth rate of 1.6

percent. The top-down growth rate of 0.9 percent was chosen as the preferred growth rate since it is based on FAA national

average growth forecasted for hours flown. Annual aircraft operations at Grants Pass Airport are projected to increase

from 24,900 to 29,787 by 2035.

8 Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport

Source: FAA TAF, Jviation analysis, 3S8 airport master plan, * indicates preferred growth rate

100

150

200

250

300

2005 2010 2017 2020 2025 2030 2035

Grants Pass Airport-Based Aircraft Forecast

Bottom Up Top Down* Top Down GDP

FAA Terminal Area Forecast Master Plan Historical Trend

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

Grants Pass Airport-Annual General Aviation

Operations Forecast

Top Down* Top Down GDP Bottom Up

FAA Terminal Area Forecast Master Plan Historical Trend

Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport 9

GRANTS PASS AIRPORT ECONOMIC IMPACT UPDATE

Annual economic impacts for 97 study airports were estimated as part of ODA’s economic impact research. Total annual

economic impacts for the Airport are attributed to one or more of the following four economic activity centers: airport

management, airport tenants, average annual capital investment, and spending by visitors who arrive on general aviation

aircraft.

This study uses three primary measures to express both statewide and airport-specific annual economic impacts:

Employment

Annual Payroll

Sales/Output (or total annual economic activity)

Direct Impacts - Grants Pass Airport is owned and operated by the Josephine County Airports. General aviation operations

at the Airport accounted for approximately 9,510 visitors who arrived in the area via aircraft. The direct employment,

payroll, and sales/output impacts relate to the Airport’s tenants were derived from survey data. Visitor impacts were

calculated using airport-specific expenditure estimates. The total combined direct output stemming from all on-airport

aviation-related tenants and visitor-related expenditures was estimated at $20.2 million. On-airport tenants and visitors

accounted for nearly 84 direct jobs with an estimated direct payroll of $4.2 million. Construction impacts related to Capital

Improvement Projects (CIP) are included in aggregate with other general aviation airports.

GRANTS PASS AIRPORT

Direct

Indirect/Induced

Total

Employment

Tenant 70.0 102.1 172.1

GA Visitor 14.0 5.8 19.8

CIP

Employment Total 84.0 107.9 191.8

Payroll

Tenant $3,721,000 $2,749,790 $6,470,790

GA Visitor $471,763 $370,487 $842,250

CIP

Payroll Total $4,192,763 $3,120,277 $7,313,040

Sales/Output

Tenant $9,516,000 $15,702,903 $35,218,903

GA Visitor $691,481 $481,615 $1,173,096

CIP

Sales/Output Total $20,207,481 $16,184,517 $36,391,999

Source: Mead and Hunt, EDR Group, Jviation, IMPLAN econometric package

10 Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport

Multiplier Impacts - Direct on-airport tenant and general aviation visitor impacts also create multiplier impacts throughout

Oregon. These benefits are made up of indirect and induced impacts calculated with IMPLAN multipliers. Induced impacts

result from employees on the airports and in the hospitality sector off-airport spending their earnings in Oregon while

indirect impacts result from on-airport businesses and hospitality sector businesses spending for goods and services in

Oregon. The table above presents the Airport’s direct, indirect/induced, and total economic impacts for sales/output,

payroll, and employment as they relate to all on-airport tenants and all general aviation visitors.

Total Impacts - The total output (including direct and multiplier impacts) stemming from all on-airport tenants and all

general aviation visitors to Grants Pass Airport was approximately $36.4 million. Total full-time employment related to all

tenants and general aviation visitors, including all multiplier impacts is 192 jobs. A total annual payroll associated with

these jobs is estimated at $7.3 million.

Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport 11

MUNICIPALITIES NEAR GRANTS PASS AIRPORT WITH LAND USE

CONTROLS

Having land uses adjacent to airports that are compatible with aircraft operations is imperative from a safety standpoint.

Airports that accept state and/or federal grants are obligated to take steps to promote compatible land use and activities

in the environs of their airport. For the OAP analysis, airports and their immediate or adjacent municipalities in the

environs of the airport were identified. Analysis of each airport’s airspace were compared to local jurisdiction boundaries

on Google Earth. If a jurisdiction was entirely or partly under the airport’s airspace local zoning ordinances were reviewed.

County land use ordinances related to airports and height restrictions were also analyzed.

Research was undertaken for municipalities identified during the OAP to determine if the municipalities are taking steps

to promote compatible land use and protect the operating environments for airports. Municipalities near Oregon airports

were investigated to determine the following key land uses controls:

Has the municipality adopted land use zoning controls?

Does the municipality have an airport-specific overlay zone or district?

Does the municipality have a land use map that shows the location of the airport?

Has the municipality adopted some type of height zoning?

The following table shows municipalities near Grants Pass Airport and summarizes the status of land use controls for each.

Municipalities and airports throughout Oregon should work together to help ensure airports are protected from

incompatible land uses and from the encroachment of obstacles that pose a height hazard to safe airport operations.

LAND USE CONTROL SUMMARY FOR

GRANTS PASS AIRPORT

Type of Control

Jurisdictions Impacting Airport

City of Grants Pass* Josephine County

Airport Zone - Yes

Adopted Height Zoning Restrictions

- Yes

RPZ Protection - No

Airport Safety Overlay Zone - Yes

Source: Angelo Planning Group, Jviation *Information was not gathered for cities where 100% of the airport’s horizontal

surface is located outside the municipal boundary

12 Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport

AIRPORT REPORT CARD AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This section provides information on ODA facility/service objectives associated with a Category III airport in the OAP. The

“report card” on the following pages shows Grants Pass Airport’s ability to meet its objectives. If the Airport does not meet

an objective, an estimated cost to enable the Airport to meet the objective was developed. The report card for Grants Pass

Airport, developed as part of the OAP, is shown below. Only one deficiency, taxiway lighting, was identified as necessary

for improving the Airport to meet all the facility objectives at an estimated cost of $1.3 million.

Source: Jviation, Century West, Marr Arnold Planning

3S8

Grants Pass Airport Grants Pass

Facilities Basic Criteria Actual

Action Needed to

Meet Criteria

Estimated

Cost

Airside Facilities

FAA – ARC B-II B-II

NPIAS

Yes Yes

Based Aircraft

≥10 (NPIAS Standard) 189

Runway Orientation

≥95% wind coverage (combined

primary/secondary rwy)

Yes

Runway Length 4,000 feet 4,001 $ -

Runway Width 75 feet 75 $ -

Runway Pavement Type

Bituminous, Concrete Bituminous

Runway Pavement

Strength

Varies by Airport* (≥12,500 lbs.) 19,000 $ -

Runway Pavement PCI 60 100

Taxiways Partial or Turnarounds Full Parallel

Approach Type Non-Precision Non-precision

Visual Approach Aids One Runway End VASI, REIL

Instrument Approach

Not an Objective None

Runway Lighting MIRL MIRL

Taxiway Lighting MITL None Install MITL $ 1,300,000

General Facilities

Rotating Beacon

Yes Yes $ -

Lighted Wind Indicator Yes Lighted Wind Cone $ -

Weather Reporting AWOS/ASOS AWOS $ -

Hangared Aircraft

75% of Based Aircraft 100% $ -

Apron Parking/Storage 30% of Daily Transient 100% $ -

Terminal Building Small Meeting Area Yes $ -

Auto Parking Spaces Minimal (tenant/public) 50 $ -

Fencing Terminal Area; controlled access

Entire airport

perimeter with

$ -

Cargo Space on Existing Apron

Any available space

on apron

Deicing Facility Not an Objective None

Services

Fuel 100 LL & Jet A (24-hour self-service) Yes $ -

FBO Full Service (normal business hours) Yes

Ground Transportation Courtesy Car / Offsite Rental Car

Offsite rental car,

Food Service Vending No Provide vending

Restrooms Yes Yes

Pilot Lounge Yes w/ Weather Reporting Station Yes

Snow Removal Yes No

Provide snow

Exempt

Telephone Yes Yes

Total $ 1,300,000

Category III Performance Criteria

Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport 13

OTHER IDENTIFIED FACILITY IMPROVEMENT COSTS

Projects identified in the deficiencies analysis from the OAP represent a portion of the total development and maintenance

costs that Oregon airports could require in the near term. In order to have a better picture of total investment needs for

Oregon’s airport system, it is important to also consider projects identified in each airport’s current Statewide Capital

Improvement Program (SCIP) and in Oregon’s most recent Statewide Pavement Management Plan (PMP).

SCIP - Current SCIPs were reviewed to provide ODA with a general understanding of what projects are already being

considered on the local level that would address deficiencies noted in the OAP. A review was performed to ensure project

costs were not duplicated between the OAP and current SCIP projects for each airport. Analysis of 2018 SCIP data indicates

that nearly $1.9 million in improvements for Grants Pass Airport are identified in the SCIP over the next five to ten years.

This estimate does not include transfers or PMP funds.

ODA SCIP Improvements (3S8) Costs

Construct Taxiway, Install Runway Vertical/Visual Guid Ph. 2 $1,356,944

Master Plan Update and AGIS survey $183,333

Runway Extension EA & 30% Design for 13/31 & TW Ph 1 $311,111

Total $1,851,388

Source: ODA SCIP 2018, Jviation analysis

PMP - ODA’s Pavement Maintenance Program (PMP) identifies maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation projects needed to

sustain functional pavements at Oregon airports. The PMP program provides some level of pavement maintenance for all

paved airports across the state. For NPIAS airports receiving federal monies, this work assists the airports in meeting their

grant assurances. Projects in the pavement management plan for Grants Pass Airport are estimated at more than $364,000

between 2018 and 2023.

Cost Summary - The OAP v6.0 summarized the Airport’s development needs over the next five to ten years. Costs to

improve and maintain the Airport over that time frame consider not only projects identified by the OAP, but also projects

from ODA’s Pavement Management Plan and the Airport’s own locally generated capital improvement plan reported to

ODA (SCIP). These three sources indicate an estimated $3.5 million will be needed to maintain and improve the Airport

over the next ten years.

As ODA’s Statewide Economic Impact Study has shown, on an annual basis the Grants Pass Airport supports an estimated

$36.4 million in economic benefit. The Airport’s annual economic impact far exceeds its annual financial need for

maintenance and improvement. ODA’s economic impact analysis shows the Airport is well worth the investment.

14 Oregon Aviation Plan v6.0 | Grants Pass Airport

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