Juneau GA pilots challenge master plan's 'no unmet demand' finding on fuel

More than 50 general aviation pilots at Juneau International Airport have signed a formal letter contradicting a finding in the airport's Draft Master Plan that there is no unmet demand for aircraft fueling. The pilots are not asking for immediate funding. They want a self-serve fuel farm and other GA facility improvements recognized in the plan so those items can be considered in future capital cycles.

Tenant Liaison Nolan Davis submitted the letter to Airport Manager Andres Delgado and the Juneau International Airport Board on May 14. The draft plan states that "no unmet demand reported" exists for aircraft fueling and that "there are no known needs or deficiencies regarding fueling facilities." Davis said GA users "strongly disagree."

The core complaint is pricing and redundancy. AvGas at JNU comes from a single provider, Aero Services, and local users report a markup of approximately 33 percent. "In a state where general aviation plays an essential role in transportation, commerce, and emergency services, this lack of redundancy presents both economic and operational challenges," Davis wrote. The letter also notes that most GA users were not aware of the Draft Master Plan and that only a few knew about the public meeting, which helps explain why the comments arrived after the formal comment period closed.

Beyond fuel, the letter raises several other specific GA requests the group wants included in the plan:

• Restoration of the wash basin for aircraft cleaning

• Paving and grading improvements in front of hangar blocks, including O Block and I Block

• Addition of an unimproved gravel or grass strip for bush-plane operations

• Construction of GA pilot lounges on both the east and west sides of the airfield

• Installation of a compass rose for instrument calibration

• Investigation of float pond corrosion linked to possible stray electrical current from the airfield lighting system

The item before the board on July 9 is informational only. No board action is requested, and JNU's own final staff comments on the master plan are still outstanding. Staff plan to attach the letter to JNU's final comment package so it enters the project record. Once the master plan update is complete, the final plan and airport layout plan will need acceptance by both the Airport Board and the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly before being incorporated into the CBJ Comprehensive Plan. No dates for those steps are scheduled.