FAQ and Community Issues
Houston Executive Airport developer Ron Henriksen answers questions about the new business aviation airport he is building on the west side of Houston.
Will Houston Executive Airport be safe?
"As a pilot for over 30 years, I understand and respect concerns about safety. We are working closely with the FAA, and have hired world-class experts to build an airport that will meet or exceed every FAA safety requirement. Our airport will be state of the art, the finest facility of its kind in the region."
How will Houston Executive Airport impact local growth and development?
"Business aviation airports like Houston Executive Airport coexist and compliment residential and suburban development throughout the country. Airports attract business, and business brings jobs, tax revenues, and community development. The Texas Department of Transportation (?TX Dot?) has documented that airports increase economic development, and increase commercial and residential land values. Click here to read TX Dot?s recent study on the subject. Attracting businesses will result in increased jobs, tax revenues, and additional community development, which, in turn, positively affects commercial and residential land values."
My kids like airplanes. Will I be able to bring them to Houston Executive Airport to watch the planes?
"Houston Executive Airport will also include a public park where families can picnic and let their kids watch the planes come and go, along with facilities for aviation related youth activities that are a part of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Civil Air Patrol and Young Eagles."
What kind of noise will Houston Executive Airport generate?
"In the last 10 years, airport noise has greatly diminished, mostly due to a combination of new technology in aircraft and engine design, plus new noise regulations and standards. Our engineering studies indicate that the closest structures to the Airport will receive about the same noise from aircraft taking off or landing as from passing cars traveling at 50 mph (60 decibels). Almost all of the airport's noise footprint will be on the airport's property."
I heard that Houston Executive Airport is being built for huge airliners and noisy cargo planes. Is this true?
"Absolutely not. Contrary to reports or claims that you may have seen or heard, our plans and designs for the facility are for business and private aircraft, including single and twin engine propeller airplanes and business jets. Additionally, the FAA requires special applications which require a far more extensive process for the certification of airports serving passenger and cargo airlines, and we have made no such application to the FAA. The airport will also serve as a reliever airport needed by the FAA to accommodate private and business aircraft traffic which would otherwise cause congestion and overcrowding at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport."
I heard that, since it is privately owned and funded, Houston Executive Airport will not have to obey federal airport safety rules. Is this true?
"No. A public airport even though privately funded is still subject to governmental rules and regulations. Indeed, all airports, aircraft and air travel are very closely regulated by the FAA and the Department of Transportation. Many of the public access airports in the Houston area have been privately owned for decades and have excellent safety records. These include West Houston Airport, David Wayne Hooks Airport, Houston Southwest Airport, Pearland Regional Airport, Weiser Airpark, May Airport and Baytown RWJ Airpark. We are subject to all the same operational safety requirements that any similar airport would face."
I read in the newspaper about FAA concerns about future airspace overcrowding. Will Houston Executive Airport help alleviate this problem?
"The FAA recently released a comprehensive study of the nation?s airspace and the changes it will undergo in the coming decade. Among other things, it concludes that air traffic will continue to increase and it specifically notes that the south and the southwest areas of the country need additional capacity. Overcrowded air space creates system wide delays that cost individuals and businesses millions of dollars in lost revenue. Additionally this overcrowding eventually could become a safety issue if more reliever airports are not brought on line. Facilities such as the Houston Executive Airport not only help to alleviate this condition, but also provide a valuable service and resource for the local community. While many communities are faced with spending millions of tax dollars to build airports and runways, we are investing our own money to build a much needed facility west of Houston because we are convinced it is the right thing to do."
How will Houston Executive Airport impact the Sport Flyers air strip?
"I intend for Houston Executive Airport to be a good and beneficial neighbor to the Sport Flyers air strip."
We are trying to design Houston Executive Airport so that it can not only meet our goals but also operate in a manner designed to minimize the effect on Sport Flyers air traffic. Houston Executive Airport can provide direct benefits to the Sport Flyers users because it will provide professional aviation services for aircraft owners in the vicinity and will offer instrument approaches in weather which now requires Sport Flyers bound pilots to divert to more distant Houston airports.
