Madison County Airport Board gives overview of airport operations to Berea City Council

Feb. 24—Sierra Marling

George Wyatt, chair of the Madison County Airport Board, detailed future expansion efforts and recommendations for the Central Kentucky Regional Airport (KRGA) at the Feb. 21 Berea City Council Meeting.

Wyatt suggested that continued airport investment could mean significant economic growth for Madison County.

He began his presentation to the Berea City Council by saying the Central Kentucky Regional Airport is a general aviation airport, which means that it serves corporate business jets and privately piloted aircraft. The airport also provides training for industrial and commercial business corporate aircraft pilot training as well as aircraft maintenance and operations. It is also where the Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) flight program is hosted.

Wyatt showed an aerial overview of the airport and displayed a photo that pictured the north-south runway and ramp hangar facilities to those in attendance. Later in his presentation, he also showed a photo of the flight ramp at the airport, which he described as "crowded."

"The current growth of the EKU aviation program, corporate flights, and cargo deliveries, and other general aviation activities have exceeded the capacity of the ramp hangar space and terminal facilities," he explained.

In terms of funding, Wyatt broke down different funding sources the airport utilizes.

For major funding, the airport relies on federal funds, according to Wyatt. The federal government requires applications and approval before the airport can receive either discretionary or entitlement funding. The airport reportedly received $985,000 of discretionary funding towards their new ramp and can apply for $150,000 per year in entitlement funding; however, Wyatt said that $150,000 fully depends on the approval of a project.

"We don't receive that money in our checkbook until we get a project approved and work is done and bills are submitted against that project. Those projects are funded at 90%," he added.

Wyatt said that an additional 10% comes from state and local funding, with the state covering 7.5% and local funding covering 2.5%. The state funding comes through the Transportation Cabinet from the Kentucky Aviation Department. They apply and receive funding through the state per project.

Wyatt said the airport is completing a $1.3 million lighting project, where all of the lights will be replaced with LED lighting. He asserted that it will lower energy usage by two-thirds and that the longevity of the bulbs will be much longer than the incandescent bulbs currently in use.

The county and City of Berea contribute through direct support, local government bonding, and the airport operational revenue, which Wyatt explained comes from the leasing of the facility to a fixed base operator. This process allows them to collect fuel flowage fees.

Wyatt said the Central Kentucky Regional Airport's current operating budget is around $209,000 and the capital budget is over $3 million, including the lighting project and the upcoming sewer project, which is a cooperative effort between the city of Richmond, the Madison County fiscal court, the city of Berea, and Eastern Kentucky University.

Berea's Mayor Fraley said of the sewer project, "We've secured over a million dollar grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to provide sewer to the airport, which is currently on a septic system, and to increase the water size from a two-inch to eight-inch, which will allow them to sprinkle the buildings there."

Resolution #02-2023, which allowed the city to accept and administer the $1,024,800 grant, was passed in the Feb. 21 city council meeting.

Airport officials have maintained that both the sewer attachment and the water line will allow future expansion at the airport, which Wyatt detailed at the Feb. 21 city council meeting.

Expansion plans included proposed renovations to the terminal building, instruction space for the Eastern Kentucky University Aviation program, additional hangars, and an additional ramp.

Wyatt's presentation asserted that the additional ramp would provide necessary space for the current and future traffic demand and enable the separation of aircraft by type. The additional handers would house and protect the aircraft from weather conditions and will accommodate more aircraft, which will support corporate growth as well as the growth of the EKU aviation program.

He highlighted the necessity for a new terminal in the development plan, arguing that the space is necessary for corporate growth.

"The new terminal building will have a professional appearance and a lot of amenities that we do not have. Your terminal building is your first impression that corporations get when they come to your town, and we want it to be a good one," Wyatt explained.

The new terminal building, as well as a two-story educational building for EKU aviation development, will be purchased by EKU — who recently became a partial owner of the airport— using state funds.

The runway is approximately 5,000 feet long, which Wyatt said "is a really good number for just about any corporate aircraft that might want to use our airport."

There will also be the possible addition of a non-federal control tower, which Wyatt says will "impact safety tremendously."

Wyatt argued that these innovations were necessary by highlighting the industrial asset the Central Kentucky Regional Airport is to the area. He said that the airport is one of 57 general aviation airports in Kentucky, which Wyatt described as "a lot."

It hosts every type of aircraft operation, except scheduled airline service.

The corporations that Wyatt said make use of the airport in some capacity represent over 7,000 jobs in Madison County. The EKU program, which has "around 325 students", averages around 300 operations (takeoffs and landings) a day, a "busy day" according to Wyatt.

Wyatt explained to the council the airport is essential for corporate business in the area, as many corporate businesses will come in for site selection or visits. He said that a variety of corporations will come through the airport and that they find the location easy to navigate.

"Even Waffle House has a corporate jet that comes in from time to time...the corporate owners like being outside the Lexington air hub. It makes turnaround easy and quick and puts them close to their operations, saving them time," he said, adding that the geography also makes the airport a prime Medivac refueling facility for those aircraft that fly in and out of Lexington.

Wyatt displayed a map of Madison County and showed the council that there are nine industrial sites within a 30-minute drive of Central Kentucky Regional Airport, adding that the Duncannon development will be the tenth. The presentation referenced the "Economy Road" infrastructure project that will build a new roadway from Highway 52 to the Central Kentucky Regional Airport.

Announced in October by Judge Executive Reagan Taylor and Congressman Andy Barr, the project will be paid for by a $5 million federal grant. Supporters say that it will make traveling to the airport safer and more accessible for those traveling to and from the airport, including Eastern Kentucky University students who frequent the airport for aviation classes.

Wyatt called the quick accessibility in the area the "gold standard" for corporations who are conducting site selection, adding, "We are in a very, very prime location for business and industrial use and development."

The next slide focused on the aviation program from EKU, touting the program as "one of the premier programs in the nation," citing that, not only is it the only aviation program in the state, but its high employment numbers after graduation. Wyatt called its economic impact "very, very significant."

In addition, Wyatt added that the airport had "something for everybody out there."

The airport works with a company called Wings to provide citizen flight training to anyone who wants to go and learn to fly, which is distinct from EKU's aviation program that requires acceptance into their program. They also host the Young Eagles Program, which is meant to inspire a new generation of young pilots.

Toward the end of his presentation, Wyatt expanded on the point by saying the future could hold many more possibilities for the airport.

"We are in the Model-T era of electrical aviation," Wyatt said. "Just the other day, one of the companies did some tests on air taxi operation in New York City, and they are hoping to get it online and working in 2025 — actually, late 2024, so it is coming. Will we ever have Uber service in the air? I don't know, but we are looking at it."

He said that moves are being made in the aeronautical space towards electric power, and the airport is in the range of major cities — like Knoxville, Cincinnati, and Louisville — that could be a quick taxi flight away versus a drive.

The airport has seven projects totaling an estimated $13 million investment prioritized up to 2026 to "enhance the operation and safety of the airport."

Wyatt said the airport hosts an annual open house, which is currently scheduled for April 29, and that there will also be a Young Eagles Day — sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association — where they will have food trucks and pilots will fly children aged between 8-18 in flights around the area.