Airport Hikes Fees For After-Hours Line Tech Service
WARSAW – Pilots requesting line-tech service after hours will have to pay more in the future at Warsaw Municipal Airport.
The city’s Board of Aviation voted to adopt a new rate structure recommended by Airport Manager Nick King Tuesday night, Jan. 14.
For years, the price for a line tech to provide service after hours at the Warsaw airport was $25.
The new rates are $200 for an aircraft that does not need fuel or $100 with fuel. For every hour after that, it’s $100 and $50, respectively, King said.
King said that the old fee was not generating enough to compensate for the cost of personnel.
The airport has seen more pilots seeking the availability of line techs. King estimates they get about six to 12 requests a month for after-hours service.
The airport employs three line techs. They are on duty until 7 p.m. on weeknights and until 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. After hours are essentially the overnight hours.
Line techs fuel aircraft and take care of many of the day-to-day tasks around the airport such as mowing grass and plowing snow.
Pilots often want line techs available in case of an emergency.
“They’re happy to just have somebody there,” King said.
In another matter, the board approved an agreement with the consulting firm, CHA Consulting for projet-specific services. Mary Kerstein, project manager for CHA, attended the meeting.