Business View Magazine - August 2023

223 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 8 LAUGHL IN-BULLHEAD INTERNAT IONAL AI RPORT commercial service a reality, as Scheller emphasizes. It’s all just a question of when. College connections Scheller also cites the airport as an opportune place for having educational institutions, such as the Mohave Community College, which could within the context of creating a curriculum with an aviation career path. Such a thing could ultimately lead students to a degree in aviation management or to a flight school to train to become professional pilots. This could go a long way to helping, at least on the local level, alleviate a national problem: a dearth of air traffic controllers, aircraft mechanics, and qualified pilots in the United States. An internship program, coordinated between the college and the airport, is another potential. Becoming an airplane mechanic is another potential career possibility, as is pursuing airport marketing, or any skill that has an aeronautical focus as Scheller adds. “There are so many career opportunities to get people interested in working at the airport,” he notes. Returning to the topics of capital improvements and airport infrastructure, Scheller says, “Right now, Sun Country, with its charter service, is comfortable with the length of the runway,” he adds, continuing, that yet, he hasn’t received any letter of intent from a major commercial airline which would justify an immediate need of a runway extension. “I’m not going to get excited about extending the runway until I am certain the airport terminal can handle the number of passengers a larger aircraft will accommodate.” Also, part of the airport’s capital-improvement plan is the installation of a MALSR system, as Scheller reveals, situated at the end of the runway to guide aircraft in and down. The acronym stands for “medium-intensity approach lighting system (ALS) for runways.” They are installed in airport runway approach zones along the extended centerline of the runway. MALSRs consist of a combination of steadily burning light bars and flashers that provide pilots with visual information on runway alignment, height perception, roll guidance, and horizontal references to support the visual portion of an instrument approach. Such things are very helpful concerning low visibility and inclement weather. “This area is very dark at night,” he adds. “There’s not a lot of city lights near the airport that define the airport property’s terrain during times of low visibility.” Then there’s repaving. Scheller says Taxiway Alpha is scheduled to have its pavement improved. This is also an FAA-funded project. The control tower may get a facelift as well, as an assessment of the Control Tower’s needs is being planned for FY2024. Scheller cites cosmetic and possible structural improvements will be reviewed to upgrade the tower. Many people have complimented Laughlin- Bullhead for the quality of its concessions. But the airport’s leadership is committed to improving this as well. Scheller says more snack machines will be installed, enabling passengers to get some substantial food (sandwiches, chicken