Drew Miller, Eunice Airport manager, can smile now but for several days there was nothing to smile about as the airport terminal was inundated with three feet of water caused by the recent flood.
Photo Credit: DailyWorld
The state transportation department has pledged to help the Eunice Airport, which suffered heavy damage during the recent flooding.
"We had 34 and half inches of water in the terminal. It is not the first time we've been flooded but it is the worst," said Airport Manager Drew Miller.
He said the airport has flooded about 10 to 12 times in the past 28 years but those floods have been more in the 9- to 14-inch range.
"The water got into everything. We lost our computers; everything in the office," Miller said.
While the terminal was the hardest hit, he said the flood was so bad this time that the water also got into the hangers for the first time. "All the hangers got water in them," Miller said.
Amber Leach with state Department of Transportation and Development said the biggest problem at the moment is that the flooding left the business office and terminal building inoperable.
"DOTD will work quickly with the airport and Federal Aviation Administration to resume normal operations by constructing an elevated temporary terminal," Leach said.
"DOTD is currently working on short term repairs to provide immediate assistance and is additionally moving forward with plans to provide long term facility repairs," Leach said.
Miller said those temporary repairs will most likely consist of an office trailer. "It will be nice enough for us to use as a terminal," Miller said. "We will probably put it in the same place but we will raise it about 36 inches."
He said that temporary office will probably become his office for next two to three years until a permanent building can be constructed.
As for the airport, he said it is already back in service. He said all the navigation equipment and beacons were raise on poles, so they escaped the high water.
"Everything works. Some of the (runway) lights are out from water intrusion, but nothing major," Miller said.
He called the airport an important asset to the city.
"We are just like the Opelousas airport, but where they have two runways we have only one," Miller said.
But that one runway is 5,000 feet long and can handle corporate jets and more. "We have some pretty big birds that come in here," Miller said.
The field is also the permanent home for about 20 aircraft, primarily private planes.
Story and Photo: http://www.dailyworld.com
No comments:
Post a Comment