Geauga County Airport officials celebrated two large projects Sept. 24.
Geauga County Airport officials celebrated two large projects Sept. 24.
A 3,100 foot-long taxiway parallel to the runway and construction of the second new T-hangar at the facility in Middlefield Township and Village will make the airport safer and provide another revenue stream, said Patty Fulop, airport outreach coordinator.
A crowd of about 80 applauded as the long red ribbon, stretching across the pristine taxiway, was cut by airport authority board President Chip Hess in the morning sun.
Fulop said the taxiway will encourage visitors to the region’s commercial and industrial operations because it allows planes that have landed to taxi back to the office or hangars immediately without interfering with incoming or outgoing aircraft.
“If you are in business, time is money,” she said, noting both projects were made possible by funding from Geauga County Commissioners, Ohio Department of Transportation Office of Aviation and Federal Aviation Administration.
The taxiway costs about $3.4 million and the FAA is covering all but 5%, and Geauga County Commissioners are providing the $176,000, or 5%, matching funds, she said.
“If you are a taxpayer in Geauga County, you can certainly see you are getting a big bang for your buck,” Fulop said.
Russell Neice, with the ODOT Office of Aviation, said the department has seen substantial increases in its airport improvement program since 1991.
The state legislation has increased revenue to the program several times since then and now, more revenue is available to fund hangars in multiple airports, including Geauga County, he said.
“We did not expect what came about the first of July. Now we have a very robust program,” Neice said. “There’s a lot of changes going on in our grant program.”
A study of the economic impact the airport has on Geauga County is expected to be done by the end of the year, he said.
Fulop said the last study in 2014 showed the total impact of the airport on the county was about $10.9 million.
Geauga County Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri credited the airport board with continually pushing to improve the facility.
“I’ve seen all the good things the airport brings to the community,” he said. “(Board President) Chip Hess gets things across the finish line.”
Spidalieri, a helicopter pilot, recognized the many volunteers for their incredible drive and vision.
“This operation truly runs off of volunteers. Finding volunteers to get the job done is the hardest thing to do,” Spidalieri said, adding he hopes plans for a flight office, classroom and pilot station come to pass.
Fulop said the airport has four part-time employees, but the services and businesses operating from the facility, as well as contractors and employees affected by the airport’s operation adds up to 72 jobs.
A grant from the Geauga Aviation Foundation funds Fulop’s position, she said.
Airport Manager Ric Blamer noted in the last few years, the airport has removed obstructions in the flight zone, installed LED runway lighting to save electrical costs and put in a credit card system for pilots who fly in after hours so they can purchase fuel 24/7.
The airport also has bought some property and had other property donated with a goal of having access off state Route 528, he said.
Demand for more hangars is strong, Blamer said, referring to the ground-breaking last Wednesday morning for the new hangar.
“Once we started construction on this T-hangar, it took about three hours to get deposits for every single space,” he said.
Also congratulating the airport board and staff on the taxiway and the hangar projects were: Middlefield Village Councilman Carl Hornung, Middlefield Township Trustee Paul Porter; Katie Birger from Congressman David Joyce’s office; Carson Cook from Sen. Bernie Moreno’s office; and Deputy Director Duncan MacMillan from Lt. Gov. Jon Husted’s office.
