Heber Valley Life

Tag: Aviation

  • Leaders in Aviation.

    Leaders in Aviation.

    Nadim AbuHaidar is the owner of OK3 Air, the sole Fixed Base Operator (FBO), fuel provider, and FAA-certified aircraft maintenance provider at Heber Valley Airport. Nadim’s mother is from New York, and his father is from Lebanon — they met, got married, and raised a family in Beirut, a kaleidoscope city of diverse personalities, politics, cultures, and religions. Nadim’s father was in the aviation cargo transportation business, and his father-in-law ran operations for Pan American Airways — he even organized the first US Presidential airlift flight, flying President Franklin Delanor Roosevelt to Casablanca, Morocco, to meet with UK Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, aboard Clipper I.

    Nadim was born in 1966 in Beirut, the primary business center and political-cultural capital of Lebanon. However, Lebanon in the 1970s became increasingly divided along religious, ethnic, and political lines — a spiderweb of intersecting interests and parties, most armed and dangerous. Tensions led to the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990); this civil war and invasion forced Nadim’s family to immigrate to the United States in 1982, where Nadim attended a boarding school in Connecticut. Nadim excelled as a student, athlete, and student pilot. He learned aerobatic flying and worked with the famous husband-wife aerobatic duo, the French Connection. Nadim earned a BA in 1988, then spent a winter skiing and working in Park City, Utah. While in Utah, he applied and was selected for the US Navy Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, FL. Nadim earned his commission as an Ensign in April 1990 and went to US Navy basic flight school and advanced jet training in Texas. With his Wings of Gold, Nadim was selected for F/A-18 Hornet fighter training at El Toro, CA, the US Marine Corp F-18 Replacement Air Group (RAG). His first fleet operational assignment in Hornets was aboard the USS Carl Vincon, where he completed two deployments in the Persian Gulf and South Indian Ocean. Returning to Lemoore Naval Air Station in 1996, he flew Hornets at Miramar, CA, and Fallon Naval Air Station, NV – completing Top Gun Class in April of 1997. His next assignment was training the fleet at the Strike Fighter Weapons School at NAS Lemoore, CA — his job was to fly with and evaluate the best fighter pilots in the US Navy. On a side note, the F-18 Hornet, and F/A-18 Super Hornet, are built by Boeing Defense in St Louis, MO. Boeing had purchased McDonald Douglas, the same manufacturer that built the two USAF aircraft this author flew in the US Air Force, the F-4 Phantom and the F-15 Eagle. One main difference between Naval and USAF fighters is that Nadim flew his aircraft from a moving aircraft carrier’s short deck, often at night in raging seas. No thanks, this writer was happy enough flying from long runways solidly planted on terra firma!

    Nadim separated from the Navy in 1999 and moved back to Park City, Utah. An avid skier and pilot, he met and taught flying with Dave McCoy, owner of Wasatch Aero Service at Heber Valley Airport.

    In 1989, the runway was lengthened to 6800’, allowing jet aircraft operations. Nadim bought Wasatch Aero Services from Dave McCoy and helped develop not only a first-class FAA-certified flight school but an aircraft fuel and maintenance service business as well. In 2003, Nadim along with Greg Peterson, another ex-USN fighter pilot, organized and put on the first Heber Valley Aerobatic Air Show and Aircraft Fly-In. Nadim renamed Wasatch Aero Service to OK3 Air in 2005. OK3 is a term used by USN fighter pilots — if your jet’s tail hook catches the #3 wire when landing on an aircraft carrier this usually results in an “OK” (both a grade from the air boss and a safe landing). OK3 Air caters to private and charter business aviation, fixed wing, and rotary aircraft, and both jets and turboprops. Additionally, OK3 serves smaller general aviation aircraft. OK3 is also the only Pilatus PC-12 turboprop service center in Utah. Nadim prides himself on treating his employees and customers with “top gun” service and support.

    Travis Biggs is the Heber Valley Airport Manager, a demanding, multi-role responsibility he has excelled in full-time since 2021. Travis hails from the historic mountain gold mining area of Nevada County, California. Famous for rich gold strikes in the late 1800s and infamous for the ill-fated Donner pioneer expedition — many of whom perished in the terrible winter of 1846. Travis panned for gold in the Yuba River as a kid, graduated High School in 1995, and worked with his father as a general contractor in the area. He served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile and then studied at Utah Valley University. While at UVU, Travis took an introductory flight course and fell in love with flying — switching from pre-med studies to aviation, to become a professional pilot. He earned his Private Pilot’s license at Provo Airport in 2000, before they built the control tower there. After terrorists hijacked airliners and attacked America on 9/11, Travis, unable to get a loan to continue the expensive Pro Pilot program, switched majors to Airport Management at UVU. To earn money, Travis traveled back and forth to Nevada City, where he worked in his Dad’s flooring business and obtained his Instrument pilot’s rating.

    In 2008, with his BA in Airport Management, pilot’s ratings, and a background in construction/contracting, Travis met his mentor, Kevin Smith, the Truckee Tahoe Airport Manager. On Kevin’s advice, Travis began volunteering at Heber Valley Airport and entered a Masters of Public Administration program at BYU in 2014. He still commuted on weekends back to Nevada County to earn money in the flooring business. Travis got married back in California and now has four children. In 2016, he moved his family to Heber City and became the assistant airport manager for Dennis Godfrey at Heber Valley Airport. Travis earned his MPA in 2017 and took over as the part-time airport manager when Dennis left; Travis also served as a part-time Heber City manager. At the end of 2020, he accepted the offer to become the full-time airport manager at the fast-growing Heber Valley Airport, where Nadim AbuHaidar was helping run the Wasatch Aero Service and a very busy Part 141 pilot training/aircraft maintenance program and charter flying business, in addition to performing as an aerobatic pilot.

    Heber Valley has become the busiest high-elevation airport in Utah. Which begs the question: Exactly what does an Airport Manager do? Travis has a multi-hatted position, ensuring that the airport safely handles everything from private jet charter services to hot air balloon operations. He represents the diverse interests of local and out-of-town pilots, Nadim’s FBO (OK3 Air), the Heber City Council, citizens, and myriad federal, state, and local government and non-government entities. From snow removal, runway and taxiway repair and lighting, airport fence building/maintenance, hangar construction, airport equipment maintenance, facility engineering, and airport emergency response, to name a few of his responsibilities. Travis is a very busy guy. His budget is always tight, so much so that he must recruit and train volunteers and part-time hourly employees to get the job done. Travis continually interacts with government entities, including the Federal Aviation Agency, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT). Travis’ ongoing training involves university courses, American Association of Airport Executives certifications, and seminars/meetings with AAAE and AOPA research programs. He also works with the National Business Association of Airports on overall airport business management awareness. The finance world of running an airport is a nearly full-time job in and of itself — budgeting, grant applications, contracting, following federal and state financial regulations, etc. Legal considerations include working with state, city, county, and private attorneys representing various government and private interests pertaining to the airport and its operations. Wildlife management is one interest — keeping birds, animals, and pilots safe on airport property and the air above is an important responsibility; preparing and updating daily notices to Airmen, a federal requirement, is just one more duty in his “quiver of airport safety arrows.”

    Wrapping things together, Travis is also the HVA Public Relations campaign manager. One issue is the Heber Valley public’s concern about future air operations in the valley. While HVA will not see commercial airline activity in the foreseeable future due to airspace and terrain safety limitations, we are experiencing growing private jet and general aviation operations. Another aspect of HVA PR activity is the annual hosting of airshows/fly-ins, winter and summer festivals (think Snow Fest, snow sculptures, smores, skijoring (horses towing skiers) and night balloon glows in winter and Taste of Heber foodie shows, art murals on hangars and hot air balloon rides in summer). One HVA tenant is the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), which fosters aerospace history education by rebuilding and maintaining aircraft from as far back as World War II. The CAF museum at HVA is a fantastic showplace of aviation history and ongoing CAF operations for youth and adults alike. Travis is also in the planning stage for an event he calls Plane Air, with student and adult art and writing competitions along the theme of All Things Aviation.

    As for the eclectic and near-impossible job of being an airport manager, I leave you this humorous quote from an essay by Ben West, Airport Manager at Warrensburg, Missouri: “Airport Managers are always wrong…even when they are right! They are usually the last person to be consulted on decisions affecting the airport… but the first to get the blame when those decisions fail!” I also reference a funny Airport Manager Wanted, Job Description by James Smith, Deputy Airport Manager at Huntington Tri- State Airport in West Virginia: “Must have extensive background in aviation — must not be too old or too young but ‘old enough to know better and young enough to enjoy it.’ Must have engineering experience and practical know-how in all phases of building roads, runways, taxiways, hangars, fuel installations, electrical, gas-line, sewer and water systems, and all other utility systems…” The job description goes on to add all the intricate financial, legal, political, psychological, public relations, engineering, zoning and other understanding skills an airport manager must have or quickly learn to do the job satisfactorily.

    Luckily for HVA, we have Travis Biggs and Nadim AbuHaidar working together to run a premier, growing airport and FBO that serves the entire Heber Valley and Park City.

  • Heber Valley Airport Revamp

    Heber Valley Airport Revamp

    From its humble beginnings in 1947 until today, Heber Valley Airport (KHCR is its national identifier) reflects pioneering aviation history, growth, change and a whole lot of flying. In its early years, KHCR was known for a diverse collection of classic general aviation and warbird aircraft and their pilots. Russ McDonald and a few partners bought the land, developed a 3,300’ runway and started a fixed base of operation (FBO) they called Heber Valley Flying Service (HVFS). HVFS began with a small (45 x 60 feet) hangar with adjoining office space and a 1945, 65HP, single-engine “taildragger” called an Aeronca Champion. On 7 September 1947 Russ McDonald began teaching folks to fly — he also fueled and fixed the Champ and ran the business. Russ added three more taildraggers, using skis instead of wheels in winter to fly from a field with no snow removal equipment. By 1948, catering largely to WWII veterans using the GI Bill to take flying lessons, the Heber Valley Airport was a busy airfield. In the 1950s, with GI Bill flight training winding down, HVFS had to shut its doors and Russ McDonald went to work at United Airlines. He still flew his Pitts biplane and P-51 Mustang from KHCR, and other folks flew gliders. For a time, the airport was almost exclusively a glider airport, and at one point, the glider community saved the airport from extinction (a story for another day). In 1991 David Robinson started the gliding club, Soar Utah, which is still thriving today.

    Heber City completed a new airport master plan in 1984. According to this master plan the FAA was asked to significantly increase the length of the runway from 4,400 ft long and 100 ft wide to nearly 6,900 ft long and 75 ft wide. This request was made in order to “make the area more accessible to recreationalists” and to realize additional income. While the airport already had “twin engine aircraft and occasional Learjet and turboprop planes”, they wanted to increase their jet fuel sales by accommodating jets and overflow traffic from the Salt Lake and Provo airports (See Heber City Airport 1984 Master Plan). Once the new 6,900’ runway was paved with parking, and taxiways completed, new hangars, buildings, and fuel, oil, and other services were added creating a full time FBO. Although there have been multiple FBO’s at the airport, the original FBO’s helped create contracts and lease agreements that made sense back in their day. However, after a few decades it became clear that these agreements were out dated, and needed to be significantly changed and updated. During the past few years, the city has been thoroughly committed to creating a new Airport Master Plan, a new Airport Layout Plan, and new legal agreements/contracts between them and the current FBO, OK3 Air.

    Today the Heber Valley Airport and OK3 Air have a new breed of customers — corporate and private jets, turboprop aircraft and even helicopters. Each of these aircraft can be fully serviced at the airport. The airport also currently has over 75 hangars, which house a variety of aircraft. Unfortunately, jet and turboprop aircraft customers demand more complex and expensive services, including jet fuel (Jet A). Some pilots consider OK3 Air’s fuel prices and services to be too expensive. Because of high costs, some general aviation and classic aircraft operators have chosen to leave KHCR for other airports in the greater Salt Lake area including Ogden, Logan, Provo and Spanish Fork. The current FBO (OK3 Air) has invested considerable resources to handle the larger and faster aircraft that have begun frequenting the airport. Because of these investments, they have become the leading private and commercial air traffic servicer in the Heber Valley-Park City-Kamas area. Fuel prices at OK3 Air are sometimes among the highest in the nation — a cost associated with a sole, full service FBO and maintenance provider. Many non-pilots in the valley wish OK3 would increase fuel costs in order to discourage more air traffic, but most pilots would obviously like to see a reduction. To its credit, OK3 Air does a quality job catering to its target audiences aircraft and aircrew of many types, and it is an official, Part 145 certified aircraft repair station with FAA-licensed technicians, many of whom live in Heber City. OK3 is a big part of our city’s gateway to world-class skiing, dining, and cultural events in Heber Valley, Sundance Resort, and historic Park City, Utah. OK3 Air is a factory authorized service and warranty center for some of the aerospace industry’s top manufacturers, including: Pilatus, GARMIN; ASPEN Avionics; COBHAM / S-Tec; PS Engineering; Honeywell; L3 and Trig Avionics.

    The former exclusive contract between the City and OK3 Air prevented competition in the form of a smaller, general aviation-focused FBO with lower cost / lower octane general aviation fuel and maintenance services. This situation very recently changed with the approval of a new Airport Master Plan signed by the City and the Airport, which allows OK3 Air to continue services as usual while also providing an opportunity for a new, general aviation-focused fuel and services provider (FBO) to set up and operate at the airport. The Heber City Council vote to approve the plan secures critical FAA funding and safety oversight of the Heber Valley Airport and established a long-term (20 year) airport development strategy. The Wasatch Wave published a detailed article on the Master Plan adoption in their July 5, 2023 newspaper2. A few highlights include: Provision for a new FBO that caters to light general aviation aircraft; Areas designed for existing and new community events like aviation and car shows, and expansion of the current Commemorative Air Force Museum; Relocation of runway, taxiways and some structures to increase the safety area bordering the runways / taxiways, and opportunities for more hangar space which is in big demand at KHCR. Final FAA approval of the operations infrastructure is evolving. All this means that not only will Heber Valley Airport continue to serve its current customer base, but that our local pilots, who would like to once again experience affordable flying in classic and general aviation aircraft, from Heber Valley Airport, once again, have a bright future at KHCR!

    So, what is already going on at the airport in the wild world of general aviation? Heber Valley Airport manager Travis Biggs’ mind and hands are full of plans and improvements. One project he helped start is a mural painting program on the back of existing hangars on the north end of the airport. The murals,  created by local artists (many are high school and college students), depict legends of flight, and the history of flight.  Travis is also thankful for the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) who runs a great little air museum that opened in May of 2002. The museum hosts many well-attended community events each year and is located in the last hangar on the South-East corner of the field. The CAF is a national organization that rebuilds and flies WWII and other military aircraft called “warbirds” at their various “Wings” across the USA. The Utah Wing, located at Heber Valley Airport has its own Stearman Biplane and other on-loan aircraft. They host an authentic WWII Hangar Dance and Classic Plane-Car Show every year. You can even bring your car and snap a photo of you with your family and friends with either the Stearman or a visiting warbird. Anyone can join the CAF and help run the museum and other events — we are all “CAF Colonels” for an annual membership fee that supports the CAF warbird maintenance and flying operations.

    Also calling KHCR home is the local Chapter of the Experimental Aviation Association (EAA), the same folks who host the world-famous, annual Oshkosh fly-in, featuring hundreds of aircraft from around the country. The EAA supports local pilots flying their own aircraft from Heber Valley and features guest speakers at their meeting on the second Monday of each month in the KHCR airport managers building. The EAA has also provided hundreds of free “Young Eagle” flights for kids between the age of 8-17. Adults 18 and older that want to learn what it takes to get a pilot’s license can also experience free flights with the EAA through the “Adult Eagle” program. EAA members donate their time, fuel, and airplanes, simply because they enjoy sharing their love of flight. Additionally, Heber Valley Airport is home to Soar Utah, which offers glider / soar-plane instruction. Travis also expressed excitement abouth the balloon flights and future balloon festivals that Heber Valley Airport will host. Finally, KHCR is home to several private aircraft owners, including respected aerospace engineers and a champion Reno Air Race pilot-engineer. There are a few WWII and later era “warbird” pilot-owners, several “taildragger” and classic aircraft owners, world class sailplane pilots, and some classy turboprop and jet aircraft owners. This population of general aviation pilots and aircraft owners will likely expand as Heber Valley Airport, along with its surrounding community, grows. A handful of our current local residents learned to fly right here at our Heber Airport. Today they are pilots flying for the airlines, as corporate pilots, or as search and rescue pilots etc. This tradition continues today. Dozens of our local youth have and are preparing for careers in aviation. Some of them are obtaining flight experiences right here in the valley through private flight instructors or through Utah universities like Utah State and Utah Valley University. Perhaps someday we will get another flight school here. So buckle up your seatbelts and we’ll see ya soon as we soar above Heber Valley!

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