The last few weeks have been good to the Golden Triangle Regional Airport.
The number of passengers, or enplanements, was up 13 percent in April and three percent for the year; the newly renovated, $1.4 million terminal was ready just in time to accommodate the passengers on an Arkansas flight rerouted on the way to Memphis two weeks ago due to bad weather; an aircraft upgrade boosted the number of seats on the early departure flight by 18 passengers; Severstal offered to give GTRA $2 million worth of dirt for runway expansion; and the airport is making plans to spend more than $10 million worth of grant money on improvements — $1.5 million of which will come a year earlier than expected, thereby freeing up $1 million for improvements next year.
GTRA Executive Director Mike Hainsey told the GTR Airport Authority Board Friday he expects to receive $5.9 million in July from the Federal Aviation Administration”s Airport Improvement Program to extend the runway at GTRA.
The FAA grant will cover 95 percent of the total cost of the extension, with the remaining five percent split between state funds and passenger charges.
Hainsey was recently informed by the FAA that $1.5 million slated for the extension of the taxiway, which was scheduled to be received next year, would be received during the current fiscal year.
Because the AIP promises airports at least $1 million each year, receiving the taxiway funds this year will free up that $1 million for other infrastructure projects.
“We”ve got several things in mind. We just have to prioritize,” Hainsey said, regarding how the AIP money will be spent.
Estimates for the combined cost of the runway and taxiway were $9 million, but the low bid came in at $7.8 million.
The project will require about 400,000 yards of dirt to build up the foundation for the runway extension, which will be 20 feet high at some low-elevation points. Hainsey said Severstal has agreed to donate 300,000 yards of dirt, a $2 million value, from its on-site pile.
“This really helps us out. In our mind they”re just being good neighbors,” Hainsey said. “They have excess dirt and they”re saving us a significant amount.”
GTRA also received $2.5 million from the Mississippi Development Authority to install an Instrument Landing System — including antennas and other equipment — to benefit planes conducting test flights from Columbus Air Force Base. Hainsey says 40 percent of the airport”s traffic comes from CAFB training missions.
Bids will be accepted in August for renovations to the GTRA parking lot. The airport received a $362,000 Mississippi Department of Transportation mulitmodal grant for the work. And the airport plans to perform another $100,000 worth of renovations to the older part of its terminal to install lighting, video displays and signage.
The news wasn”t all good at Friday”s meeting. Hainsey reported parking lot and rental car revenues were down 10 percent for the year, roughly $24,000. He says the revenue dips are unusual because enplanements are up.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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