This work site at Twin County Airport will soon be occupied by one of two new T-hangars. The airport is undergoing numerous changes in order to serve the community better.
While Carroll County hopes steps taken today lead to a local industrial boom in the future, Twin County Airport is setting itself up to be a partner in facilitating that growth.
While the region has high hopes for Wildwood Commerce Park, the airport has numerous projects either ongoing or ready to begin soon that will help bolster the Twin Counties’ profile when it comes to attracting and maintaining business.
“It’s all in the effort of hopefully improving the community and giving the community more options and businesses more options,” said Airport Manager Dave Ritter.
Ritter noted a lot of work is nearing completion, including one of two new T-hangars and the second phase of the fencing project. He said the pad for the first T-hangar is just about ready.
“We’re creating a new pad to eventually put two six-unit T-Hangars. To build the second we’ll have to build a retaining wall where the road is. We’re eventually going to relocate the road next to the fence. Once we do that, the second T-hangar can be built,” Ritter said. “That will create more revenue. There’s a waiting list of about 12 people waiting for T-hangars. These over here are about 40 years old and they don’t offer the greatest accommodations but they’re better than nothing. We only have six and there’s a lot of folks needing hangar space.”
Ritter said the majority of the airport’s fencework is nearing completion as well.
“We’re getting Phase II of our security fence put up. That runs from the southeast corner of the airport and down the hill from the Twin County Aviation building,” Ritter said. “At that point, two thirds of the airport will be fenced in. That should be done by the end of December.”
Ritter said once all that work is done, there’s still plenty more to do, including a new multi-purpose building where one of the two larger hangars used to be. Ritter said he hopes it can be started in the spring.
“In 2009, we tore down the maintenance hangar beside the Twin County Aviation hangar,” he said. “It was about 40 years old and falling apart. We decided to tear it down and what we’re doing is putting out invitations for bids for the T-Hangar and an 80x100 multi-use building.”
A new terminal is also on the wish list.
“Hopefully we would like to start building a terminal. We hope in the late summer next year, we can start on it. We’ve got the design and plans done for it,” Ritter said. “Once that happens, we can relocate the road, get our second T-hangar built and get into Phase III of the fence. Then, the whole airport will be fenced in.”
Ritter said while a terminal might not bring the financial benefits of hangars, they have many uses. He said it’s going to take some convincing for some people to see the importance of a new terminal.
“A lot of people look at it two ways. It’s senseless because a terminal doesn’t make any money but it’s the first thing when people come here to visit, it’s the first thing they see,” Ritter said. “People can have business meetings here and we don’t have any space for it now. We think it’s just as important for the future.”
Another big piece of the puzzle is an extended runway. Ritter said once that is done, corporate aircraft can land at Twin County, which helps the attractiveness of the area in terms of bringing in business.
“We eventually would like to see the runway extended to at least 5,000 feet. We’re at 4,200 feet,” Ritter said. “It takes a lot to get that done; it’s about a five-year process. There are studies that have to be done. The first thing is the justification study the FAA will do to see if it’s justifiable putting the money in it. That’s where we’re at right now. We’re trying to collect as much data as we can for the study. What we’re looking for is companies that have aircraft that would like to fly in here but can’t because the runway is too short. A lot of airplanes can land here but it’s the insurance that keeps them from doing it. With the industrial park across the way, in the next few years, it’s going to be developed, I’m sure. I’m sure some of those companies have aircraft that they would like to get in and out of here. That’s one of the things we really want to get done.”
Once those undertakings are complete, Ritter said he has plans to make the airport more of a destination for locals, as well.
“Once we get the fence completed, I’m talking with the Virginia Tourism Department about some grants,” he said. “I’d like to have a walking path built all the way around the airport on the outside. We’re putting the fence 15 feet inside the property so there’s 15 feet there for that. It will be 2 and a half to 3 miles all around. It would be an option for people to go walking and maybe see some airplanes take off and some wildlife.”
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