It's a small airport by most standards, but everyone here has big dreams.
Last September, the San Marcos Airport opened its new control tower. It's a big deal for an airport this size. It provides an extra set of eyes for the pilots - and an extra measure of safety.
"Having the tower on board - having that additional safety - envelopment, kind of umbrella over the top of us - I think it's important," said Shane Schmidt, who recently became a pilot after finishing his training at the airport.
Air traffic increased 40% in 2011, with an average of 3500 takeoffs and landings per month. More air traffic means more revenue for San Marcos.
Stephen Alexander is the airport's aviation director. "Airports are always or should be viewed as a city within a city, in that they have all the economic engines and the economic trickle-down effects that cities have, but on a smaller scale, specific to the airport. So hotel stays, jobs, tax base, etc. - all go up and all increase when the activity at your airport increases as well,” he said.
Another key part of the airport's growth is the addition of Redbird Skyport, a pilot training center and general aviation terminal. It's state-of-the-art, with a hangar that connects directly to the lounge and restaurant.
"In aviation we say the first thousand feet of the runway is the most important thousand feet of pavement for the city because it brings a lot of tourists and people into the city and business traffic," said Randy Clark, a sales executive with Redbird Skyport.
The tarmac, left over from the old Gary Air Force Base, covers more than 1300 acres. There are three runways, the longest of which is 6300 feet. It can accommodate a jetliner as large as a Boeing 737.
Atop the 100-foot tower, air traffic controllers have a 360 degree view. They man the tower from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week. When the tower is unmanned, air traffic is handled by Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The runway is lit all night to accommodate nighttime traffic.
Clark says overall airport traffic is significant, and the city gets a good portion of the fuel revenue from that traffic.
The airport is hoping to attract more future pilots with its new facility. Schmidt just completed his pilot training at Redbird Skyport. "Having a brand new facility like this I think is probably the reason why I'm here.I searched for several years looking for a place to be, and kind of the run-down, dingy, little airfield places just didn't work,” he said.
While this airport may be smaller than others, it has big dreams - and is working to make them come true.
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