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Air show to usher in new airport
Wright/Midcoastal to open in November
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The Wright AAF/Midcoastal Regional Airport board is working out details for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 5 and hopes to host an air show “extravaganza” in May or June.
County Administrator Joey Brown reported paving would be completed this month, a punchlist of the last items to be completed would be worked next week and a walk-through of the airport buildings by the Army Corps of Engineers would be next week.
Cutting of trees to clear the runway approach along with clearing and grubbing, heavy mowing and “gardening” tasks will be done by the Army.
The tree cutting — described by one board member as a “good idea” needing to be done — apparently has been discussed at several meetings.
Michael Biering, Fort Stewart director of public works, asked, “Is the good-idea piñata empty now, or do we need to whack it again?”
An airport license is needed from the state Department of Transportation, and an inspection has been done to make sure requirements are met.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified the changeover from the old Liberty County Airport will be made and the fixed base operator is expected to be in place next month. The old facility will not abandoned until March, but it is not expected to be used after December.
Commission Chairman John McIver has requested “retrocession” of the airport property and that request is making its way through Army bureaucracy. Retrocession is the term for allowing local government joint jurisdiction with federal agencies for law enforcement. As one board member said, “It will mean a different color police car at the airport.”
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