A needed infrastructure program.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected three airports to be eligible for grants to add civilian aviation operations at former and current military airfields.
The infrastructure building idea is to add capacity and help to reduce congestion at existing airports. Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas; Mobile Downtown Airport in Mobile, Alabama; and Salina Regional Airport in Salina, Kansas, will now be able to apply for Airport Improvement Grants.
“Adding civilian flights to these airports increases their role in fostering economic growth and creating jobs in their communities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The Military Airport Program (MAP) provides funding as a set aside of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) to help increase civilian aviation capacity at current or former military airports by funding projects such as surface parking lots, fuel farms, hangars, utility systems, access roads, cargo buildings, and other airfield-related infrastructure.
This is a first for these three airports. The FAA will work with each airport to determine funding needs. Additional details from the FAA:
Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, a joint-use general aviation airport, will participate in the program for five years. The FAA may be able to provide funds for developing a building, parking lot, aircraft parking apron, hangar, and connector taxiways.
Mobile Downtown Airport in Mobile, Alabama, a non-hub airport located on the former Brookley Air Force Base, will also participate in the program for five years. The FAA may be able to provide funds for utility construction, improving airport drainage, parking lot construction, and an apron reconstruction project.
Salina Regional Airport in Salina, Kansas, a non-hub airport on the former Schilling Air Force Base, may receive funds to rehabilitate a fuel farm and parking lot. The airport will be in the program for four years.
With three new airports joining the program, seven airports are now eligible for MAP funding in Fiscal Year 2022. Airports already in the program:
- Tipton Airport in Odenton, Maryland.
- Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport in Killeen, Texas.
- Roswell International Air Center in Roswell, New Mexico.
- Sawyer International Airport in Gwinn, Michigan.
“Working with local stakeholders, the Military Airport Program is an innovative and fiscally responsible way to help improve prior military facilities and make them an important economic driver for their communities.” FAA Associate Administrator of Airports Shannetta Griffin said.
MAP allows the FAA to designate up to 15 joint-use or former military airports to participate each fiscal year. Three of the 15 airports may be general aviation airports and the remaining 12 must be commercial service or reliever airports. Selected airports are designated for a period of one to five years. Previously selected airports may re-apply to the program.
The airports in this program have unique project-eligibility rules to convert them to civilian or joint use, thereby increasing the capacity of the National Airspace System to serve the flying public. Since 1991, the FAA has provided approximately $764 million to more than 35 airports through the program. The FAA will announce the next program open-application period in late 2022.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Three Military Airports Eligible for Funds for Civilian Operations
A needed infrastructure program.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected three airports to be eligible for grants to add civilian aviation operations at former and current military airfields.
The infrastructure building idea is to add capacity and help to reduce congestion at existing airports. Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas; Mobile Downtown Airport in Mobile, Alabama; and Salina Regional Airport in Salina, Kansas, will now be able to apply for Airport Improvement Grants.
“Adding civilian flights to these airports increases their role in fostering economic growth and creating jobs in their communities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The Military Airport Program (MAP) provides funding as a set aside of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) to help increase civilian aviation capacity at current or former military airports by funding projects such as surface parking lots, fuel farms, hangars, utility systems, access roads, cargo buildings, and other airfield-related infrastructure.
This is a first for these three airports. The FAA will work with each airport to determine funding needs. Additional details from the FAA:
Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, a joint-use general aviation airport, will participate in the program for five years. The FAA may be able to provide funds for developing a building, parking lot, aircraft parking apron, hangar, and connector taxiways.
Mobile Downtown Airport in Mobile, Alabama, a non-hub airport located on the former Brookley Air Force Base, will also participate in the program for five years. The FAA may be able to provide funds for utility construction, improving airport drainage, parking lot construction, and an apron reconstruction project.
Salina Regional Airport in Salina, Kansas, a non-hub airport on the former Schilling Air Force Base, may receive funds to rehabilitate a fuel farm and parking lot. The airport will be in the program for four years.
With three new airports joining the program, seven airports are now eligible for MAP funding in Fiscal Year 2022. Airports already in the program:
“Working with local stakeholders, the Military Airport Program is an innovative and fiscally responsible way to help improve prior military facilities and make them an important economic driver for their communities.” FAA Associate Administrator of Airports Shannetta Griffin said.
MAP allows the FAA to designate up to 15 joint-use or former military airports to participate each fiscal year. Three of the 15 airports may be general aviation airports and the remaining 12 must be commercial service or reliever airports. Selected airports are designated for a period of one to five years. Previously selected airports may re-apply to the program.
The airports in this program have unique project-eligibility rules to convert them to civilian or joint use, thereby increasing the capacity of the National Airspace System to serve the flying public. Since 1991, the FAA has provided approximately $764 million to more than 35 airports through the program. The FAA will announce the next program open-application period in late 2022.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.