The Kansas Department of Transportation awarded Fort Scott Airport a grant in the amount of $152,000, with notification being given on April 30.
The grant money is for an Airport Geographic Information System and runway expansion, according to the KDOT announcement.
“We don’t have the contract with details,” Seth Simpson, Fort Scott Airport Manager said Tuesday.
“We will use it for any design, such as the layout of runway extension, possible land acquisition, that type of thing,” he said.
The future impact on this local airport is “huge”, Simpson said.
The airport expansion will allow bigger jets to use the Fort Scott Airport and “it will be better to bring more companies in (Bourbon County),” he said.
“Length of the runway and strengthening for weight purposes will be part of the runway expansion,” Simpson said. “We are coming due for a resurfacing, that will cost less money if we can do it all at once.”
Currently, the runway is 4,400 feet and is to be expanded to 5,500 feet.
Fuel sales increases and medical flights will also be positively impacted by the runway expansion, Simpson said.
During the preliminary phases of the expansion, a Native American archeological dig was held on the northwest section of the airport property on Indian Road, southwest of Fort Scott.
“One tribe said they would like to do more archeological digging,” Simpson said. “To find things pertinent to their tribe.”
“This phase is part of the process,” he said. “We have a series of boxes we have to check off.”
Upcoming events at the airport:
- The Fort Scott Airport is the beginning of the Combat Warrior convoy on May 1, with city officials and first responders invited to the airport to welcome the military veterans to town, on their way to the E3 Ranch. The public is invited to welcome the veterans by lining the streets on National Avenue and Wall Streets and waving.
- The Fort Scott Airport will be hosting the Kansas 2019 Association of Airports Conference on June 25-27.