Susan Barr
Kern Valley Sun

Eugene Nelson, owner of Nelson Aviation and operator of the local Kern Valley Airport, has had to make some difficult decisions recently. Due to rising aviation fuel costs and ever increasing government regulations, offering on-site fuel to local and visiting aviators has posed an ongoing challenge.

The county-owned airport, which has been in existence since 1949, is a popular destination with visiting pilots and flying clubs. The beautiful scenery is a big draw, as is the challenge of landing in the mountainous location.

Airplane fuel is removed from the tank at Kern Valley Airport leaving pilots with the options of flying to California City or Bakersfield for fuel.

Neslon, who has been at the airport since 1979, expressed his frustration over the fuel situation. "When we took over the airport, it was in the contract that we had to put in the fuel system, the gas tanks, and then had to maintain them in accordance with the local regulations." Those regulations, in addition to increasing environmental constraints, have added to the cost of fuel pilots must pay at the pump. Nelson added, "Last year, we sold less than 5,000 gallons. When we first started, we were selling 30,000 gallons in a year. So you can imagine the difference."

County regulations state that with the permission of the director, a fuel tank can be removed if it becomes too burdensome to maintain. All facts considered, Nelson felt that it was the responsible choice to make. “First we have to empty it, then a guy is going to come out, and dig the tank up,” Nelson said. It's heartbreaking for me really. When they had the hearings on the master plan there was a target in the plan. They would have replaced the old underground tank with an above ground tank. It wouldn't have cost anybody anything because it all would have been done with the A.P.I. (airport improvement fund) funds. “We had a lot of controversy with the master plan, somehow or another they got that part taken out of it. I'm left with no choice,” he said.

“I can't continue to sell fuel and just store it. Every month you've got to pay for a guy to come out and look at stuff. Once a year you've got to pay a guy to come out and look at stuff. In 1998 we upgraded the tanks and put all kinds of new stuff on them. That was a $30,000 investment. Now 10 years later in 2008 they were supposed to be inspected again, an inspection was costing $6,000. You can't advertise that along with the price of the fuel, and expect anyone to buy it. So we are just going to remove the tanks, and thats going to be the end of it.”

Matthew Maass, Deputy Director with the Kern County, Department of Airports said that the situation Kern Valley Airport is facing is not dissimilar to that of the other small airports that the county owns. Of the Buttonwillow, Lost Hills, Poso, Taft, and Wasco airports, only the latter two are able to offer on site fuel. Maass stated, “We can’t force the airports to sell fuel. After reviewing the situation, we gave Nelson authorization to pull out the tanks.”

Local pilots, like Tony Alito, were disappointed to learn of the decision. Alito, who shares ownership in a plane housed at the Kern Valley Airport, said that he understood why Nelson chose to remove the fuel. He added, “It will only mean a 15-minute flight to Bakersfield to refuel. For us, it’s an inconvenience, for a visiting pilot however it could pose a possible safety issue if they flew into the airport with low fuel reserves.”