The Barnwell Airport Commission has established a designated aerobatics box over the airport.
The invisible box provides a no-fly space for pilots to practice their stunts, Commissioner Cal Hoffman said, while allowing planes to take-off and land as usual.
“It enhances safety,” he said.
Commissioner P.F. Beck said aerobatic pilots have different levels of experience. To get from one level to the next, they need a safe place to practice.
“It’s a goodwill gesture,” he said of establishing the box.
Hoffman noted there were no residential areas within the practice boundary area.
The area will be used for about 20 minutes at a time by pilots a couple of times per week, Beck said.
Trespassing
The commission has notified the Barnwell County Sheriff’s office about recent trespassing offenses which have occurred at the facility, Beck said.
Commissioners said people need to understand that trespassing at the airport facility is not like trespassing on a neighbor’s property. The property is under federal rules so the offense would carry a different (more harsh) sentence if found guilty.
Water test
The commission received good news from the Department of Health and Environmental during a recent water sample test.
“There is absolutely no contamination,” Beck said of the water test. The commission contracted with Enviro-Tech Services in Irmo to drill the test well near the fuel tank for the testing.
Samples were taken from the test well and the drinking water well, Beck said.
Beck said the results confirm what the commission already knew.
Lightning
The airport suffered damage from a severe lighting storm Aug. 6. The storm damaged the fuel system, phone lines, computers, and runway and taxiway lights. The lights have been replaced and the commission is working to get the other items repaired or replaced.