It’s smooth operating at Friedman

With Allen and Company in town, Friedman Memorial Airport housed 50 corporate jets last week, and oversaw 300 operations daily.

According to airport manager Rick Baird, the jets were parked at the airport last Tuesday through Sunday for the annual high-powered retreat of media moguls with no major problems.

"We issue a notice to airmen that prior permission is required for overnight parking, because we’re so near capacity," said Baird of the event that adds a host of large and small private jets to the airport’s tarmac. "It’s not necessarily a reservation system, but it is a first call, first serve basis."

He reported that during the six-day event one jet was detoured to Twin Falls because of space, and some pilots flew in smaller jet aircraft to insure a space.

Baird said the jets were positioned to accommodate the differing strengths of the pavement, which handles around 95,000 pounds of stress.

"We weren’t just lining them up out there for fun," he said.

He said the extra traffic drew two noise complaints and one complaint about the fumes.

The noise complaints pinpointed an aircraft operating around midnight and an older jet operating in the heat, which caused louder then usual noise. Baird said he will contact the air crew, and strongly suggest it operate within the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.