Robert LaFayette, deputy project manager in airport planning for CHA Consulting Inc., speaks with the Board of Aviation Commissioners during a Nov. 8 meeting. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Warsaw Municipal Airport will soon become a dealer of aviation oil through Aircraft Spruce, following continual difficulties with purchasing oil locally.

During a Board of Aviation Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 8, Airport Manager Nick King said companies the airport formerly used for purchasing aviation oil are no longer carrying it.

“The closest company that we can find that would sell us that oil is west of Merrillville,” said King. “So it would be about three, three and a half hours round-trip for one of my guys to go pick that oil up. That’s not cost-effective. Phillips X/C Oil is probably the number one oil that is sold. That has been on backorder with our current supplier for 18 months, and we’re a Phillips dealer, and we don’t have it right now.”

King said he found a few companies online the airport could become dealers through for the oil. He noted the primary issue was the companies sought a credit card for payment versus checks.

“While we have a credit card issued through the city, that card is tied to our tax-funded airport general fund,” said King. “We can’t use that card for oil or fuel purchases for the airport.”

King said he can apply for a community Visa card through Lake City Bank for the airport’s oil purchases. He described Aircraft Spruce, an online dealer, as the “Amazon for aviation.”

The board approved Warsaw Municipal Airport becoming an aviation oil dealer for Aircraft Spruce and gave King permission to apply for a community card for oil purchases.

In other business, Robert LaFayette, deputy project manager in airport planning for CHA Consulting Inc., attended the board’s meeting in-person to seek approval and signatures for several items.

In his engineer’s report, LaFayette requested the board approve sending the airport’s capital improvement program to the Indiana Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration for review.

The board agreed to sign a close-out letter for the FAA regarding the runway 18-36 rehabilitation project and approved two invoices, totaling $9,921.27, for the runway 27 obstruction mitigation project.

LaFayette also requested approval for grant applications and task orders for the runway 9-27 safety area. The board approved these matters.

The BOAC’s next meeting is at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, at Warsaw City Hall.