Will allow for better planning for improvements at Rochester airport

Ortmann said Skyhaven lucked out last summer and, unlike some local airports, was not in the middle of any major construction project during the temporary FAA shutdown. Still, he said he was pleased to see a long-term funding plan approved for the administration.

"It gives us a blueprint or plan of action for the future," he said.

Ortmann said the SAAC created a master plan for the airport a number of years ago, updated in 2010, and that while some of the projects have already been completed or may not be eligible for federal funding, some of those proposed for the next couple years will be made easier thanks to the new legislation.

"The ability to plan for improvements is one of the bigger benefits," he said.

One of these projects is the rehabilitation of one of the runways, which would include resurfacing and repaving of the area.

The design for this project will be done this year, according to the master plan, 95 percent of which — or about $361,000 — could be paid for by the FAA. The actual construction of this project, which is estimated to cost about $1.8 million, $1.7 million of which could be funded by the FAA, is scheduled for completion in 2013.

Another project slated for the next couple years, Ortmann said, that would be eligible for FAA funding under the new bill, is the installation of new, brighter lights on one of the airport's runways.

This project, slated for 2014 in the master plan, would cost about $80,000, $76,000 of which could be paid for by the FAA.

According to Ortmann, the project would help to make the airport more usable, by working toward decreasing the visibility minimums required for aircraft landing at the airport.

Ortmann said there are certain procedures and requirements a pilot must meet before landing at an airport to ensure the safety of passengers and those on the ground. These requirements include the minimum visibility levels a pilot must have before landing.

For example, pilots flying into Skyhaven, he said, have to be able to see the ground from about 600 to 700 feet and have one mile of visibility ahead of them in order to land. Larger airports, with longer and wider runways and more advanced radar technology — Skyhaven Airport has no control tower and qualifies as uncontrolled air space — have less restrictive minimums, he said.

The new lighting system, however, would help decrease that distance to three-quarters of a mile, making it easier for pilots to land at night and on days with poor weather.

According to the master plan, this decrease would provide operational benefits to aircraft operators and potentially increase the number of aircraft that land at Skyhaven.

A HEALTHY FOCUS

TACKLING the issue of childhood obesity has become a central objective for parents, childcare providers and anyone with an interest in the care of young children. In light of this the Wexford County Childcare Committee entitled its ninth annual conference, 'Healthy Lifestyle – Happy Life'. The conference, which was held at the Ferrycarrig Hotel on Saturday, was organised to demonstrate the link between physical and emotional wellbeing in children.

There was a wide variety of groups and individuals in attendance at this year's conference. Childcare development officers Eithne Gallagher and Jillian White explained that the event was intended to cater for everyone involved in caring for children, parents or childcare providers.

Emer Murphy Tomkins, a special needs assistant, pointed out that the conference was particularly informative for people working with children with special needs. Encouraging a healthy lifestyle and physical activity is important when assisting children with conditions such as autistic spectrum disorder. There was also a significant number of early childhood care and education students from the Wexford Campus of Carlow IT in attendance. Students Elaine O'Brien and Vivienne Rothwell expressed the need for conferences such as this in order to increase the profile of childcare providers as a profession.

A schedule of activities addressed the need not only for children to lead a healthy life style, but for their parents or carers to do so also. With respect to this, guest speaker Dr Mary O'Kane, delivered a lecture entitled ' The Impact of Parent/Carer's Health and Wellbeing on the Child'.

In an interesting twist on the conventional format of a conference, Tony Carty, head chef at the Ferrycarrig Hotel, led a cookery demonstration of healthy meals for all the family.

This was followed by a closing lecture on the role of physical activity in childhood by Dr Marc Armitage.