After years of planning and design, construction of the Midcoast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield draws nearer to its Oct. 7 completion date.
By leasing 33 acres on the edge of Fort Stewart, Liberty County has undertaken an intricate project that involves the ongoing construction of a new terminal, airplane hangers and a maintenance facility, along with a freshly renovated 5,000-foot runway, County Administrator Joey Brown said.
The $10.5 million airport will be accessible for general aviation travel, which will apply to small, fixed-wing aircraft. With the length of the runway, it can handle small jet traffic, and for future planning, an area has been reserved for commercial aviation as well, he said.
Brown referred to the potential commercial aviation as enabling “puddle jumpers” to make short flights to destinations like Savannah, Atlanta or Jacksonville.
When the new terminal is finished in the early fall, Brown said, the civilian portion would house a conference room, classrooms for pilots, a pilot lounge and a VIP lounge for particular guests or higher-ranking military personnel.
“The $6 million price tag on the 13,000 sq. ft. terminal includes both the general aviation side (the Liberty County portion) and the operations side (the Army portion),” JT Turner Construction project manager Josh Brooks said. “As we work on the terminal, the 12 T-hangars and four other buildings, the construction has moved along perfectly, and the county has been a pleasure to work with.”
Brown said the Army would not disclose exactly what would be on the operations side of the terminal.
“I am pleased that construction is going as planned, and I believe it is a great opportunity for the county as a whole as we attract industry and clients to meet the needs of local aviators,” Brown said.”
In the future, the county also plans to extend the 5,000-foot runway to 6,500 feet, which will necessitate the clearing of some woodlands to allot for the required space.
Brown also mentioned there will be renovation and reconstruction of the roads nearby the airport, and that during this clearing and reconstruction the environment will remain a priority as proper drainage systems will be put in place.
This is all an ongoing process and JT Turner Construction is working side by side with Barnard Architects to handle the designing and construction, he noted.
To help make this project possible, $2.5 million was made available by the Georgia Department of Construction, the FAA, SPLOST and Georgia One, Brown said.
By leasing 33 acres on the edge of Fort Stewart, Liberty County has undertaken an intricate project that involves the ongoing construction of a new terminal, airplane hangers and a maintenance facility, along with a freshly renovated 5,000-foot runway, County Administrator Joey Brown said.
The $10.5 million airport will be accessible for general aviation travel, which will apply to small, fixed-wing aircraft. With the length of the runway, it can handle small jet traffic, and for future planning, an area has been reserved for commercial aviation as well, he said.
Brown referred to the potential commercial aviation as enabling “puddle jumpers” to make short flights to destinations like Savannah, Atlanta or Jacksonville.
When the new terminal is finished in the early fall, Brown said, the civilian portion would house a conference room, classrooms for pilots, a pilot lounge and a VIP lounge for particular guests or higher-ranking military personnel.
“The $6 million price tag on the 13,000 sq. ft. terminal includes both the general aviation side (the Liberty County portion) and the operations side (the Army portion),” JT Turner Construction project manager Josh Brooks said. “As we work on the terminal, the 12 T-hangars and four other buildings, the construction has moved along perfectly, and the county has been a pleasure to work with.”
Brown said the Army would not disclose exactly what would be on the operations side of the terminal.
“I am pleased that construction is going as planned, and I believe it is a great opportunity for the county as a whole as we attract industry and clients to meet the needs of local aviators,” Brown said.”
In the future, the county also plans to extend the 5,000-foot runway to 6,500 feet, which will necessitate the clearing of some woodlands to allot for the required space.
Brown also mentioned there will be renovation and reconstruction of the roads nearby the airport, and that during this clearing and reconstruction the environment will remain a priority as proper drainage systems will be put in place.
This is all an ongoing process and JT Turner Construction is working side by side with Barnard Architects to handle the designing and construction, he noted.
To help make this project possible, $2.5 million was made available by the Georgia Department of Construction, the FAA, SPLOST and Georgia One, Brown said.