The Upper Cumberland Regional Airport Board has set its Capital Improvement Plan for the next two years.
Airport Manager Dean Selby said the plan is part of a larger 10-year plan, that annually gets refined to meet the most immediate needs. Over the next two years, Selby said a major priority is planning for the replacement of some 6.7 miles of fencing surrounding the airport with taller, higher quality fences.
“The height of fence that helps preclude deer from wandering onto the runway because, as we all know, that can be catastrophic,” Shelby said. “And we do see deer in the perimeter from time to time, so that’s one of the reasons. The other one is security, but the other biggest thing is the small animals that come underneath it from all the washout areas that wonder onto the field, and then attract the birds.
Shelby said the board would like to place a perimeter road around the fence to allow for better patrols. Also in the plan are the acquisition of property to improve the airport’s safety corridor, and the expansion of ramps to allow for more airplane parking.
Selby said the state awarded design grants of $1 million this year, some $1.4 million next year to help in the design of these capital improvements.
“Its very important to have these plans in place,” Selby said. “To be able to go after those federal grants and get those federal and state grants, to be able to keep up the momentum that we’ve got going here.”
The ramp expansion will help because Selby said in some cases, there simply is not space available for airplanes to park. He said the airport owns plenty of land to the south to expand operations.
Tennessee’s Aeronautics Division at T-DOT assists the airport with its capital planning. Selby said the Airport District Office of the FAA is well versed in local activities. Shelby said they are more understanding of Upper Cumberland issues than the average person might think.
“It’s somewhat easier to communicate with the state level people as to what we’re doing because they do have their, as you put it, their thumb on each of the airports,” Selby said. “And understand the role each airport plays a little bit better.”
