GEORGETOWN, DE – The master plan for Sussex County's only public airport, Delaware Coastal Airport, were recently presented to the Sussex County Council. The new plan includes a runway expansion, which would allow for larger aircrafts to land at the airport.
Airport manager Bob Bryant said the plan has been in the works for a long time. In addition to the runway extension, the plan includes critical maintenance upgrades and new hangars. With jobs and revenue generated through fuel sales, maintenance, and general aviation, the expansion is hoped to have a substantial ripple effect.
“That economic impact is considerable—it’s in the hundreds of millions of dollars. We’re very happy about that, and we want to be able to maintain that while also working on expanding it.”
Bryant noted that the airport is projected to increase operations from around 34,400 in 2018 to nearly 48,000. However, securing funding for the runway extension requires meeting certain FAA standards.
“Until we meet and exceed those numbers of aircraft operations and the distances those aircraft are flying from this airport, the FAA is not ready to fund the runway extension project. We’re working with the FAA on that." he said.
Bryant said there’s no estimate yet on when FAA approvals might be met, but the master plan covers the next 20 years of airport operations.
Larry Kelley, founder and executive director of the Delaware Aviation Museum housed at the airport, explained the challenges they face with the current runway. Notably - they house a number of historic, and operational, aircrafts - including a World War II era B25 Mitchell which pilots often train on.
“When we do our flight training on the B25 Mitchell, we have to go down to Salisbury because they’ve got the long enough runway to give us the extra safety margin we need.”
But most importantly, he said, Kelley emphasized that a potential runway extension would bring significant economic benefits. With more mechanics being trained - and more flight oppurtunities possible.
“The economic impact the runway will have on this area includes jobs at every level —not just for big corporate airplanes." he said. "People who don’t understand the importance of airplanes think airports are just for the rich guys. It’s not that at all. It’s a very important part of the infrastructure on every level.”
Linda Price, president of The Greater Georgetown Chamber of Commerce says the expansion could make ripples across Southern Delaware. She highlighted that a major employer at the airport, Aero Architect Company Aloft, could see significant growth if the plan is realized.
“They’ve had to turn down some business because the runway wasn’t long enough for some of the planes to come in. That additional 500 feet is going to make a big impact for them. They get more aircrafts in, they get more staffing, and can do some expansion. That would be a big economic driver with that additional runway."
She added that they are hopeful the potential expansion will not only bring more aircrafts but also increase exposure to the airport throughout the state. The chamber notably holds their annual whings and wheels event at the airport.
