Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 19, 1990 TAG: 9007190650
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The expansion would provide more space for aviation-related businesses and storage space for corporate and private aircraft.
The development would occur on 64 acres in the vicinity of the airport's old passenger terminal, its parking lot and existing general aviation hangars.
The plan also calls for construction of a new air cargo terminal near the end of the east-west runway and Airport Road. That would free more space for general aviation development. The airport received a $927,000 federal grant last week to buy the land for the air cargo terminal.
Expanded facilities for general aviation and aviation-related businesses would be developed in two phases: from 1990 to 1995 and 1995 to 2000. Most of the development is projected to occur during the first five years and would be adequate to meet projected needs for the period.
If there is sufficient demand for additional general aviation facilities and the Federal Aviation Administration constructs a new air-traffic control tower, the old terminal would be razed between 1995 and 2000.
The FAA has proposed a control tower at the intersection of the runways near Peters Creek Road, but no firm timetable has been set for construction. The old terminal cannot be razed until a new tower has been finished because the existing tower is atop the building.
Airport Executive Director Jacqueline Shuck gave draft copies of the general aviation plan to the Regional Airport Commission on Wednesday.
Shuck and consultants will have an open house at the airport next Thursday to review the document and answer questions about it. Written comments will be accepted for 10 days after next week's session.
Shuck stressed that the plan is preliminary and may be revised.
The commission will hold a special meeting in early September to get reaction to the plan.
No cost estimate has been developed because airport officials are not sure all of the proposed facilities will be built, Shuck said.
Private funds are expected to cover the cost of the proposed new hangars, air cargo facility and other buildings, Shuck said, but the airport may help finance ramps and other related facilities.
Chief features of the plan include:
Construction of two new T-hangars, each to house 19 planes, a community-type storage hangar (for 10 aircraft) and up to four other buildings, increasing aircraft storage spaces from 82 to 117 by 1995.
The new buildings will include three corporate hangars to house 15 corporate planes.
Six old buildings, including four World War II-vintage Quonset hangars, will be razed to provide more space for new development.
Allocation of space for a second fixed-base operator to provide a broad range of services for private and corporate aircraft owners. Piedmont Aviation is the only fixed-base operator that provides a full range of services at the airport now.
Increasing the number of tie-down spaces for planes from 80 to 90 by 1995.
Development of more parking for general aviation. Part of the old terminal parking lot will be reserved for customers of the new fixed-base operator and tenants in the new storage hangars.
Currently, 122 private and corporate planes are based at the Roanoke airport. The number is projected to increase to 135 by 1995. General aviation enthusiasts have complained about the delay in the development of the plan, but airport officials said nothing could be done until the new terminal was finished.
Shuck said the airport needs more space for the air cargo business because it is up 26 percent this fiscal year. In the past fiscal year, air cargo also rose by about 25 percent.
The airport does not have a building where planes can taxi up and unload air cargo. Now the cargo has to be unloaded, taken to several different locations at the airport and then reloaded on trucks and other vehicles.
If there were a such a cargo terminal, Shuck said, it would eliminate one step in the current arrangement.
by CNB