AIRPORT PROJECTS IN FULL SWING; BOARDINGS REMAIN SLUGGISH IN EFFORT TO REACH MINIMUM OF 10,000

Despite a decline this year in air traffic at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport, airport development and improvement projects are in full swing.

Airport Manager Mark Seesing said many current airport projects still will be funded by the Federal Aviation Administration entitlements that are tied to airport boardings.

Boardings at the airport this month are about 600 behind the pace last year, when barely 10,000 were reported. That's the minimum annual amount required by the FAA for $300,000 in entitlements for airport improvements.

But despite the dismal boarding numbers, Seesing said some entitlement funds accumulated during the past few years will be available next year.

"We still have some (Airport Improvement Program) funds available to us something like $400,000 or more and we'll be putting in a pre-application for those funds soon," he said.

The airport manager said that should the city fall short of the 10,000 boardings threshold, some state grant money might be available to offset the lost FAA entitlements.

"If we fall short of our boardings, we'll have a year wait period," he said. "We'll probably just finish off our AIP funds, then next year apply to the state for some of that money.

"The applications that we would be submitting, in all likelihood would be to the state grant program."

Seesing said FAA money is channeled through the state grant program, which funds projects at airports that don't receive FAA entitlements.

Doug Leslie, Cape Girardeau's public works director, said there are more funds available through the state grant program than with the FAA entitlements. But, he added, all Missouri airports that don't meet the 10,000 boardings compete for the grant funds.

"It's competitive, so you can't say for sure whether you'll get those funds," Leslie said. "That money also is more restrictive.

"It's pretty much limited to those projects which are air traffic related the runways, taxiways, apron areas, safety programs or equipment those directly related to air operations."

Despite the boarding woes, several airport projects have progressed steadily, including construction of new T-hangars, renovation of the airport terminal building, and efforts to secure additional airline service.

Asphalt taxiways and approaches for a new 10-unit T-hangar were constructed recently after a delay due to wet, unstable ground in the area.

"It partially dried during the wait period, but there were still some smaller soft areas that had to be excavated and rock put in before the asphalt," Leslie said.

"The cost was more, but it was less than what we thought it might be simply because the affected area had been reduced in size due to drying."

Seesing said the insulated, fully-enclosed hangars include concrete floors and electric, bi-fold overheard doors. Rent for the hangars is $150 per month.

Leslie said plans to renovate the airport terminal buildings also are on schedule. He said final bid specifications will be sent this week to the FAA for their inspection and review.

"The FAA review could take four to six weeks, and then 30 days after that, the project would be put to bid," Leslie said. "I would say that in three months or less we should have a bid in hand."

Seesing said the prospect of securing additional airline service at the airport has been a priority at the airport for months. He said the announcement last month that Trans World Express, the airport's sole airline, would withdraw service unless the DOT subsidized the airline.

Due to Cape Girardeau's Essential Air Service (EAS) designation, service here is mandated. Seesing said TWE's announcement is a good opportunity for Cape Girardeau to get additional air service.

"I've got a letter going to the DOT stating what the community would like to have in terms of air service," Seesing said.

The airport manager said the city hopes to get service to and from more than one destination. TWE only flies between Cape Girardeau and St. Louis.

"There should be an opportunity for a public hearing on it to look at what kind of possibilities there are," he said.

Seesing said the airport also is making initial preparations for a huge Air National Guard training exercise at the airport next summer.

He said the guard announced last month that it would stage a large earthquake in the area with 500 casualties, which will require as many as 6,000 support persons in various capacities.

"We've been told that for 48 hours we'll have solid, back-to-back arrivals and departures of transport planes," Seesing said. "There will be mobile surgical units set up in different areas, and a lot of activity.

"The entire area will get a lot of national recognition through the exercise."