Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 14, 1991                   TAG: 9102140627
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

DECISION ON HANGARS NEAR

Some aircraft owners have complained about the delay on the proposed upgrading and expansion.

Consultants recommended the plan last year, but the commission has not decided whether it will finance the hangars or seek bids from private developers to build and lease them.

The expansion would occur on 64 acres near the airport's old passenger terminal, parking lot and existing hangars in the next decade. Officials have not released cost estimates.

The commission has scheduled a workshop at its April 17 meeting to discuss the plan.

Johnson, vice chairman of the commission, said the workshop will be open to the people who have an interest in general aviation.

"We want input from airport users and those who will be affected by the plan," he said.

The commission has asked Jacqueline Shuck, airport executive director, to prepare a report by early April on the issues.

Johnson said the commission must also decide whether to renovate some existing hangars instead of constructing new ones.

Charles Linenfelser and Patrick Cosmato, who have complained about the delay in the plan, criticized the commission for holding a closed session this week for what they believed to be a discussion of the plan.

"I would hope we could have debates on general aviation in public. It is so secretive there are rumblings that another general aviation airport might be built," said Linenfelser, who operates an aircraft maintenance business at the airport.

"It is difficult for us to understand the need for secret sessions," Cosmato said.

But members said the session dealt with real estate matters, leases and other issues that can be discussed privately under the state's Freedom of Information Act.

Under the plan, facilities would be expanded in two phases. Most of the development is projected to occur during the first five years and would be adequate to meet projected needs for this period, consultants said.

If there is sufficient demand for additional facilities and the Federal Aviation Administration constructs a new air traffic control tower at the airport, the old terminal would be razed between 1995 and 2000.

The plan calls for the construction of two new T-hangars, each housing 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 would also include three hangars to house 15 corporate planes.

Several old buildings, including World War II-vintage Quonset hangars, would be razed to provide more space for new development.

The plan also calls for the construction of a new air cargo terminal near the end of the east-west runway and Airport Road. This would free more space for development. The airport recently received a federal grant to buy the land for the cargo terminal.