Airport reports strong June fuel sales; first car show draws thousands and prompts operational planning

Airport operations staff told the commission July 19 that June fuel sales were strong and that staff and contractors put in extra hours to serve customers. Daniel, offering a Summit Aviation update, said staff worked overtime during June to satisfy demand and reported a notable increase in fuel sales compared with previous months. “Last month was a great month for fuel sales for the airport. We did outstanding,” Daniel said. Daniel also described the airport’s first joint car show with local promoter Spectra NWA, which staff estimated drew about 3,000 visitors throughout the evening. The event included a timed run down the runway after tower coordination and generated praise for drivers and attendees, but it also strained on-site parking and prompted police-managed traffic control. “We probably had 300, 400 cars in total on the ramp, both parked and in show,” Daniel said. He said organizers will plan for more volunteers, on-site emergency services and designated entrances for future large events; he also flagged the need to sort out liability and insurance with city staff before repeating similar events. Daniel said staff coordinated with the tower during runway use for the car/plane run and temporarily closed operations to allow a medical jet to depart safely. He suggested future contingency and traffic plans, additional staffing (including Civil Air Patrol cadets), coordinated PD and EMS coverage, and vendor logistics for larger events such as the planned Halloween show. Commissioners praised the event’s visibility and staff execution, and asked staff to coordinate liability and emergency-service participation for future large gatherings.