By ELENA MARSH
Insider Staff Writer
Planning for the future at the Moore County Airport takes significant foresight and financial planning. Nowhere is that more clearly illustrated than in the nearly $30 million worth of projects the airport hopes to complete before the next U.S. Open in 2029.
At the most recent January meeting of the Airport Authority, the board reviewed and discussed key capital projects for the next 10 years. Special attention and discussion focused on projects the airport would like to complete in the next three years, including hangar and storage expansions, a new terminal building and safety updates.
“I think we have what we need probably better than ever in the past three years,” said Airport Director Rick Cloutier, addressing the board following the strategic planning meeting.
The county’s airport authority has long contended with the need for more hangar space to meet demand and the costly endeavor of producing those hangars. The airport currently has a waiting list of about 50 pilots seeking covered parking for their planes.
The airport relies on grants to fund its projects, such as for runway and taxiway upgrades and repairs, but those grants don’t cover hangar construction. It must take out bank loans that are repaid from rental revenue. Hangars at the airport now are rented at about $13 per square foot.
This year, the airport is looking to build two corporate hangars with office space inside along a newly constructed northern taxi lane. Recently, the airport began working with local defense contractor Titan Echelon to complete a hangar for the company. Depending on what the company plans to store there, the new hangars can fit anywhere from a large corporate jet to three smaller two-seat planes.
Adding these two hangers would include constructing approximately 655 linear feet of pavement for the planes to travel on, as well as car parking and motor vehicle access roads for the hangars. The tentative budget for the project is close to $825,000.
Another major project for the airport, and one that is on a strict deadline ahead of the 2029 U.S. Open, would be a new terminal building, currently set to be completed in 2028. The updated terminal is planned to be larger than its current 15,000 square feet, with a focus on the arrival and departure experience.
For now, the design is centered only around general aviation. From previous talks, the terminal is loosely based on a 14,000-square-foot, two-story building, though no design has been finalized. A few proof-of-concept drawings from Alliiance show outdoor spaces, a passenger lounge and dedicated spaces for pilots.
Currently, the cost of the new terminal is not set, but high-end estimates put the work at $12 million. The preliminary site location sees the terminal move farther north on Aviation Drive and displace terminals 3, 4 and 5.
Alliiance Architecture, the Minneapolis firm selected to work on the project, has designed projects at airports in Louisville, Ky.; Minneapolis-St. Paul; and Spokane, Wash. Alliiance is still in the schematic design phase.
Once a finalized design is complete, it will allow the airport to seek funding from elected officials, DOT, FAA and other sources. With a somewhat solidified cost, the airport hopes to make up for the funding gaps with grants.
Just outside the terminal is the airport’s apron, the paved area where aircraft are parked, loaded, unloaded, refueled and maintained. The apron, which is about 50,000 square yards, is also set to be reconstructed this year for a total of $13.5 million with funding from the FAA and the state.
While these projects are being completed to take care of the planes and people on the ground, the safety of planes in flight is also a high priority. Land surrounding the runways is set to be maintained and cleared this year, with a project total of $1.1 million. Surfaces surrounding the runway are set to be graded and cleared along with the removal of aboveground objects.
Over the next year, the airport is set to receive $215,000 in grant funding, with an airport match of almost $20,000, to demolish and relocate the storage facilities on Storage Drive. The road will then be abandoned.
“Bringing the financial consultant on board is a great start to owning this and our strategic planning, and how we will be completing the budget at the same time,” said Cloutier. “Some information from strategic planning is probably going to change a few items for this budget, but I think going forward I’ve got great information.”
Contact Elena Marsh at (910) 693-2484 or elena@thepilot.com.
