Officials: GAO team concerned with more than financial issues

The results of the General Accounting Office team's study relating to Northwest Arkansas are scheduled for release May 23.

By RUSTY GARRETT
Times Staff Writer

Members of a General Accounting Office team reviewing funding for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport is doing more than just crunching numbers, Drake Field officials say.

At a meeting of the Fayetteville Airport Board Thursday, Dale Frederick, airport manager, said the three-member GAO team spent several hours at the Fayetteville airport Wednesday.

"They asked questions on our ability to function as an adequate facility for the traveling public" both now and in light of the opening of the regional airport, Frederick said.

"It wasn't just a financial audit," airport board chairman Rick McKinney said of the session. Questions included the airport's ongoing efforts to secure approval of an instrument landing system and of the Drake Field master plan. He said the GAO officials left Drake Field with "ample information and a box of documents."

McKinney said Randy Williamson headed the team, while Paul Aussendorf addressed airport financing issues and Dana Greenberg studied airport improvement funding allocations.

Frederick said all three were well versed in airport operations in general, and were familiar with Drake Field's history.

The three-member team has not spoken to media representatives during its stay. Questions have been referred to Gerald Dillingham, associate director of the GAO, who is in Washington.

Thursday the team spent much of the day with staff members of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority staff.

Scott Van Laningham of the airport staff said "fairly good conversations" with the team began in the morning and lasted into the afternoon.

The group was also scheduled to visit the airport site in rural Benton County Thursday afternoon.

"They are very much on a fact-finding trip," Van Laningham said. "They are here to gather information."

He said the questions posed by team members addressed "a little bit of everything" involved in the airport planning, funding and construction.

"They are obviously very knowledgeable about airports," he added, with an understanding of airport improvement funds, letters of intent and other matters.

"We've all been impressed with their professionalism," Van Laningham said. "They asked good questions."

The team was ordered to perform a study of the airport, focusing on its eligibility for nearly $30 million in funds pledged by the Federal Aviation Administration over a five-year period.

The results of the study relating to Northwest Arkansas are scheduled for release May 23.