Airport Master Plan 2012 - City of Waterville

Weather and Related Air Traffic Services
There is an Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) located on the Airport that was installed
during the mid-1990’s under FAA contract. The AWOS is located approximately 1,900 feet from the
Runway 5 end, approximately 600 feet southeast of the runway centerline. The AWOS data processing
equipment is located in the terminal building. Weather information is disseminated to pilots via
continuous VHF radio transmission and dial up telephone connection and to the National Weather Service
by land line connections.
A UNICOM radio communication service is available at the Airport. This service provides local traffic
pattern advisories but is not used for air traffic control purposes. The UNICOM frequency is 122.7 Hz
and broadcasts 24 hours per day.
Airfield Utilities and Storm Drainage
Underground utilities in the airfield area consist of lighting (along the runway and taxiway edges) power
and communications cables to the AWOS and other FAA equipment in the center of the airfield and
various underground drainage systems. Apron and ramp areas have electrical power and control buried
underground for floodlighting from fixtures mounted on poles or buildings.
Surface runoff from rainstorm events is collected in swales, ditches, and catch basins on the Airport and
conveyed to the City’s storm sewer system, which ultimately conveys the storm-water off the Airport.
The Airport’s airfield facilities include two runways, taxiways, aprons and infield grass areas. These
airfield facilities generally drain by “sheet flow” to percolate in gravelly soils.
Electric Vault
The electrical vault building is located adjacent to Airport Road. It is a 14 foot by 9 foot brick building
on a concrete slab foundation with a wooden truss roof. The condition of the vault building appears to be
good with no evidence of leaking noted. Access to the vault is from the landside via locked metal doors.
Central Maine Power Company provides service to the City for airfield and terminal facilities. In
addition to metered service for the City’s buildings and airfield lighting and equipment, individual tenants
are metered separately for their power usage. All airfield electrical components located within the vault
appeared to be in good physical condition and function reliably according to airport management
personnel at the time of the facilities inventory. Electrical power serving City owned and FAA facilities
on the airfield such as runway and taxiway edge lights, approach lights, REILs, VASIs, and other lighting
and navigational aids is distributed via underground conductors.
The most recent upgrade of airfield electrical equipment consisted of a new 7.5 kW regulator that was
installed under the Airport terminal area and TW “D” improvements project completed in 2007.
Security Fencing
Existing security fence at Waterville Airport consists of metal chain link perimeter fencing, generally
eight feet high, with swing type and sliding access gates separating the airside from the landside portions
of the Airport. The fence is in generally good condition, or better. In many areas the fence line has
become severely overgrown with vegetation. Much of the fence near the “14” end of Runway 14-32 is
only six feet in height and other portions of the fence, especially on the north end near Kennedy Memorial
Drive, have no barbed wire at the top (this would generally be considered safety fence rather than security
fence in airport applications) while in other areas the fence is eight feet in height with triple strands of
barbed wire on stanchions (considered security fence). There are several single and double swing type
The City of Waterville Maine
Baseline Conditions – Page 1-13
Airport Solutions Group, LLC & The Louis Berger Group, Inc. December 2011