CLEVELAND, Tenn. – A pair of new communal hangars, each capable of accommodating 10 aircraft, are expected to be ready for tenants at the Cleveland Regional Jetport in the near future.
The prefabricated hangars are part of a $1.17 million growth project airport officials expected to be completed last fall. The new hangars will double the number of communal hangar spaces to 40.
Jetport director Mark Fidler on Friday gave members of the Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority an update on the project.
One hangar is “essentially complete,” while the other should be complete by March 19 if weather permits, Fidler said.
The prefabricated structures are near existing communal hangars north of the airfield terminal on Dry Valley Road.
“The buildings have turned out really nice,” said Fidler. “It’s a real good product.”
Airport Authority Chairman Lou Patten expressed dissatisfaction over the project’s delay, which he blamed on late delivery of materials.
State aviation officials and the project architects, engineers and contractor chewed out Erect-A-Tube, the prefabricated hangar manufacturer, in a recent meeting, Patten said.
The delays have boosted the project’s cost by thousands of dollars and were all the more frustrating because the manufacturer promised early delivery, airport officials said.
Also Friday, Fidler said the jetport’s new Erlanger Med Trans facility has been up and running full-time since Feb. 18. The Life Force helicopter crews have been busy, said Fidler, citing a recent 4:30 a.m. flight.
The airport panel voted 5-0 to approve introductory packages for companies that might respond to a planned request for proposals to operate the Cleveland Regional Jetport.
The jetport’s agreement with Crystal Air, which has operated the facility since it opened three years ago, will end on June 30.
The package is intended to generate interest in the jetport, said airport authority member Steve Wright.
Key attractions for a contract operator include the number of tenant aircraft and the modern facility itself, said Wright.
More than 65 aircraft are based at the jetport, doubling its initial occupancy of around 30 aircraft when it opened, he said.
“That’s amazing growth in two years,” said Wright. “I don’t know if that will continue, but it should give anybody looking at this an opportunity to believe there is tremendous growth available in this airport and this area.”
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.