Lincoln approves lease with Adventure Flight LLC for Lincoln Airport

Lincoln City Council authorized a 30-year lease agreement with Adventure Flight L.L.C. at Lincoln Regional Airport during its Tuesday meeting. The Lincoln Regional Airport, at 1480 Flightline Drive in Lincoln, is owned and operated by the city of Lincoln. The lease went into effect immediately after council's approval Tuesday. Adventure Flight L.L.C. was incorporated nearly 10 years ago with a primary focus in scenic flight operation and operating as a flight school in warbird flight training. For more than six years, the business has operated out of a privately- owned airplane hangar space at the Lincoln Regional Airport. Adventure Flight L.L.C. has expanded to include flight and tailwheel training. In addition, Adventure Flight has initiated the process of obtaining approval from the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) for a charter certificate. According to Lincoln City Manager Sean Scully, this would allow the business to operate regular charter flights out of Lincoln's airport. With approval of the charter certificate, Adventure Flight plans to add additional aircraft and expand its business. Adventure Flight has proposed to the city of Lincoln to create a space for a restaurant on the hangar's south side. Scully said that the restaurant would be on the main floor, a taphouse and tasting lounge for guests on the second floor, and the third floor to be an observation lounge for guests to enjoy views of the airport and Lincoln. Adventure Flight L.L.C. already makes a positive contribution to the airport's economy, according to Scully. Since its lease at the airport is expiring this September, Adventure Flight proposed the 30-year agreement during Tuesday's meeting with the city. According to the proposed resolution to the council, the lease rate between the city of Lincoln and Adventure Flight L.L.C. will be approximately 3 ½ cents per square foot. The example that Scully gave on Tuesday is that at 40,000 square feet, the rent will be $1,400 a month. The rent is expected to reach that rate as construction and expansion progress over the next 24 months. As of now, the rent will start at about $350 a month for Adventure Flight L.L.C., according to Scully. "We have not always had partners who understand the value of the airport on staff," Lincoln Vice Mayor Paul Joiner said during Tuesday's meeting. "We do now, so thanks (to Sean Scully) for sticking with us and being willing to invest into the airport." The council voted to authorize the lease agreement between the city of Lincoln and Adventure Flight L.L.C. was unanimous. At this time, neither Lincoln City Council nor Adventure Flight L.L.C. has stated when the hangar's construction and renovation will be completed. In other news Lincoln City Council reviewed and approved a memorandum of understanding between the city of Lincoln and the Lincoln Professional Firefighters Association during Tuesday's meeting. Lincoln Human Resources director Veronica Rodriguez presented the expected salary schedules for the next five years for Lincoln firefighters. According to Rodriguez, by 2025, the base wage increase for Lincoln firefighters will increase approximately 10 percent. The memorandum also emphasizes the increase of the firefighters uniform allowance, which will increase to $1,200 annually. Firefighters eligible will also be entitled to longevity pay of up to 6 percent of their monthly salary. In addition, Lincoln firefighters' sick leave will increase from 11.2 hours to 12.1 hours per month. The estimated total increased costs of all negotiations in the memorandum is approximately totaled at $2,656,596 over the next five years. For the fiscal year of 2022 through 2023, the cost to cover the firefighters' salary increase is roughly $309,373 and is allocated through Lincoln's General Fund, Lincoln's Public Safety Tax Share Fund and remaining funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Standard Allowance.