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Can regional airport idea fly?
A progress meeting was held March 13 at Thomasville City Hall that included mayors from Thomasville, Grove Hill and Pine Hill along with Clarke County Commissioner Joe Hunt, Marengo County Commissioners Jerry Loftin and Calvin Martin and other representatives from the four counties. Representatives from Garver Engineers Aviation Group of Huntsville and the Alabama Department of Transportation Aeronautics Bureau were present. Gil Gilmore of Grove Hill is the chairman of the regional airport committee. The group is presently working on a feasibility study for the Federal Aviation Administration. "It ultimately will be the backbone for the justification for this project," engineer Ryan Reed said. "Those forecasts will show that this area not only needs a new facility but that new facility can inspire growth." Airports in Butler, Linden, Pine Hill and Grove Hill are included in the study as well as Demopolis, Camden, Chatom, Jackson and Monroeville. "Are these airports meeting the needs we see in the future?" asked engineer Benson Hadley. The Freddie Jones Field in Linden is in "pretty bad shape," he said. In their projected presentation, the Garver engineers foresee an increase in aviation activity, however, the area is lacking the following features: • "sufficient runway length for business jet aircraft; • pavement strength for larger aircraft; • fuel services for piston and jet aircraft; • instrument procedures for inclement weather; • and lighted facilities for night time use." There needs to be improved terminals for the convenience of corporate pilots, Hadley said. "…If the existing facilities are incapable of being expanded or the cost is unreasonable, a single general aviation regional airport may be the solution. "…We've taken the four airports in this study group (Butler, Linden, Grove Hill and Pine Hill). We're looking at what they need to do to meet the regional airport criteria… and we're working up a cost," Hadley said. "Can it be done?" If the cost proves too great to upgrade an existing airport, the next step in the process would be "a single green site" identification. The engineers are already zeroing in on an area on the Marengo- Clarke county line near Highway 43. Based on a 30-minute drive time from county seats, the geographic center is located near the communities of Bashi and Hoboken on the county line. However, that center may shift as the study continues, Hadley said. "We want to be fair to each one of the counties we are looking at." Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day stressed the need for an airport. From his discussions with industries who attend the city's annual Suppliers Conference, the industry heads tell him "you want us to do more business in your area, you've got to have an airport that will support the types of things they need. "…They are looking for refit work. They want to fly in C-130's with helicopters on them. We need to plan not only an airport but adjacent property for potential industrial uses. Andalusia (Opp and Enterprise are) taking advantage of it." A regional airport for this area is obviously needed, Reed said. "It has to be in a place that can be expanded - developed to its full potential." Mayor Day was encouraged to get letters from industries, which would endorse the need for the airport. "We know the paper companies have aircraft that they can't get in and out of here," Hadley said. "There is an existing need." A regional airport would need a 5,000-foot runway with an addition to 6,500 feet for military aircraft.
The next meeting of the airport committee will be held at 10 a.m. on May 7, also in the Thomasville City Hall.
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