Crane Lake Seaplane Base Feasibility Study

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February 11, 2020

Project Update Meeting

Crane Lake Seaplane Base Feasibility Study

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Agenda • See handout

Building a Better World for All of Us®

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Inventory• Scott’s Seaplane Base

– Privately owned, open to the public– Opened in 1945– Primarily used by recreational flyers

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Minnesota aviation system• 380+ aviation facilities

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Airside Facilities• Two sea lanes, but landings are not limited to

these areas.

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Visual Aids & Weather Reporting• Wind cone• Automated Weather Observation System

(AWOS) – MnDOT owned on Handberg Rd.

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Dock system• 40-50 feet of dock space• Accommodates 8-10 aircraft

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Fuel • 100LL and vehicle gasoline (Mogas)

– 100LL: 8,000 underground storage tank (1995)– Mogas: 6,000 underground storage tank (1995)

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Landside Facilities• Resort lobby & store

– U.S. Customs ROAM iPads, food sales, retail, restrooms, etc.

• Restaurant – Crane Lake Bar and Grill

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U.S. Customs• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB)

provides customs services.– Staffed office at the seaplane base closed in

November 2018. – Seaplane base is now served remotely using the

Reporting Offsite Arrival – Mobile (ROAM).

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Crane Lake U.S. Customs Activity

Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

816 763

616

421 397

1,5681,626

1,492

1,009902

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Number of Aircraft Number of Passengers

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Seaplane Base Access• County Road 24

(Crane Lake Road and Gold Coast Road) provides access to Scott’s Seaplane Base. – Uncertain right of

way ownership in some areas.

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User Survey Results

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User Survey• Surveys were made available to users at

Scott’s Seaplane Base during the summer of 2019.

• Nearly all respondents visit the seaplane base for U.S. Customs.

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Summary of Purpose & Number of Visits

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Where is your aircraft based?

0

1

2

3

4

5

Num

ber o

f Respo

nses

Airport Location

Where is your aircraft based?

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Where did you begin your trip?

0

1

2

3

4

5Num

ber o

f Respo

nses

Airport Location

Where did you begin your trip?

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Where is your final destination?

0

1

2

3

4

5

Num

ber o

f Respo

nses

Airport or Landing Location

Where is your final destination?

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What percentage of visits do you purchase fuel?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Num

ber o

f Respo

nses

Percentage of Visits in which Fuel is Purchased

Approximately in what percentage of your visitsto Crane Lake do you purchase fuel?

0% 1‐10% 11‐20% 21‐40% 41‐60% 61‐70% 71‐80% 81‐100%

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What other services would you use, if available?

Courtesy car

Vending

Aircraft hangars

Jet A

Other

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Num

ber o

f Respo

nses

Services Utilized

What other services would you use ifavailable at Crane Lake?

Courtesy car Vending Aircraft hangars Jet A Other

“Other” included grocery store and more restaurants.

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I would not visit this area61%

INL33%

Sky Harbor6%

If a seaplane base were not available on Crane Lake, what alternative seaplane base would you use?

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Are you in favor of a publicly owned seaplane base on Crane Lake?

Yes67%

No16%

Maybe17%

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State of Minnesota Requirements

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Minn. Admin. Rules 8800.1700 –Public Seaplane Base Licensing Requirements• Size of sea lane• Boundary markers• Wind sock• Dock for

loading/unloading• Ramp for beaching

aircraft• Toilets• Telephone

• Bulletin Board• Beaching/mooring• Life preserver• Boat• Lines (ropes)• Fuel (requirements, if

dispensed)• Fire extinguisher

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Minnesota SASP – Landing Strip Seaplane Bases - Metrics

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Minnesota SASP – Landing Strip Seaplane Bases - Metrics

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Activity Forecasts Summary

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Baseline activity• Based aircraft

– 0 based aircraft• Operations (takeoff or landing)

– 8,000 annual operations– 400 average per week– 57 average per day (28 flights)

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Forecasted Operations• 1.02 CAGR

8,0958,578

9,0569,501

9,909

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

Ope

ratio

ns

Year

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Seasonal Use

7.27%

23.64%

10.91%10.91%

43.64%

3.64%

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

Percen

t of A

nnual O

peratio

ns

SEH Planning Study Average Crane Lake Flight Plans Filed Average

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How does Crane Lake use compare to other General Aviation airports?

Based on reported operations on FAA Form 5010 and average seasonal use in SEH Planning Studies

 ‐

 500

 1,000

 1,500

 2,000

 2,500

 3,000

January February March April May June July August September October November December

Estim

ated

 Ope

ratio

ns

Axis Title

Crane Lake Sky Harbor (Duluth) Cook Orr Two Harbors Tower

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Runway Design Code –Critical Aircraft

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Crane Lake Critical Aircraft

• Critical aircraft = Most demanding aircraft with over 500 annual operations

• Critical aircraft for Crane Lake is an A-I aircraft

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Next Steps– Facility Requirements

• Minnesota Airport Licensing Requirements• Minnesota State Aviation System Plan (SASP)

recommendations and requirements• Facility maintenance needs• Facility improvement needs • Additional recommendations• Public access• AWOS location considerations (not currently part

of seaplane bases)• Helipad need considerations (medical use)

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Next Steps– Capital Improvement Plan

(CIP)/Implementation Plan • Project costs (improvements and maintenance

projects)• Funding sources• Financial feasibility• Ownership, governance and management

options

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Next Meeting(s)– Project Meeting (Facility requirements &

CIP/Implementation Plan)• Late March or early April• Invite MnDOT Office of Aeronautics

– Final presentations (April or May)• Crane Lake Township• St. Louis County

– Open House• Timing preference?