The Wood County Airport Authority on Tuesday unanimously approved allowing the Parkersburg Amateur Radio Klub to use space at the airport.

"The (Federal Aviation Administration) is moving out of hangar 1 and we are giving the space to the ham radio group," said airport manager Terry Moore.

The radio club will occupy the annex of the hangar at no cost with the building as is for three years with two automatic renewals for three years each. This will give the radio club a possible nine years in the space.

According to the terms of the lease, the airport has the ability to void the lease if a paying tenant asks for the space, Moore said.

"This is patterned off of the lease we have with the Civil Air Patrol," Moore said. "I'm glad to give the building to the (group)."

The board also continued discussions on the driving ground rules for anyone driving a vehicle inside the airport's restricted fence. This includes employees as well as pilots who have planes in hangars.

"The vast majority of it is how to get training, the phonetic alphabet to talk to the tower and other safety," Moore said. "Need to know the movement and non-movement areas for gate usage and driving in the fence."

Everyone who wants to be able to drive to their hangar must take two tests: a written and driving exams, which will be administered by airport line employees. For those who are caught driving inside the fence without clearance, there are punishments that include the loss of all driving privileges at the facility.

"I want (tenants) to understand that is a privilege to be inside the fence at all," he said. "The airport could change the rules to not allow any non-employees to drive in the restricted area."

Moore added being inside the fence is a restricted area, and making sure drivers in this area know the rules is a security and safety issue.

"It's an intrusion because it is easy to go inside an area you aren't allowed to be in if you don't take the test to know where those highly restricted areas are," he said.

The board chose to delay approval of the plans until members have the time to look over the proposal.

"This needs to be addressed by June," Moore said.

Source: www.newsandsentinel.com - Jolene Craig