Saturday, March 12, 2016

Jamestown Regional Airport (KJMS) named Commercial Service Airport of the Year

Jamestown Regional Airport (KJMS)  was named the 2015 Commercial Service Airport of the Year by the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission. Accepting the award are Jamestown Airport Authority members, from left, Keith Veil, Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen, Jim Boyd, Jeff Wilhelm, Brent Harris and Jamestown Regional Airport Manager Sam Seafeldt.



Jamestown Regional Airport is the 2015 Commercial Service Airport of the Year, as determined by the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission.

Kyle Wanner, director of the Aeronautics Commission, said Jamestown Regional Airport beat out Minot International Airport for the honor. Wanner said Jamestown Regional Airport won because of the increase in passenger boardings and improvements made on the general aviation side of the airport.

“Minot did build a new terminal that opened in 2015,” he said. “Jamestown had a great year with a full year of reliable jet service to Denver. This led to a 128 percent increase in passenger boardings from last year (2014).”

In 2015 Jamestown Regional Airport had 8,642 passenger boardings, up from 3,684 passenger boardings in 2014.

Wanner said employees and management at Jamestown Regional Airport did an “excellent” job in reaching out to the community and improving general aviation options at the airport.

General aviation improvements to the airport include the completion of a T-hangar with eight units. Airport Manager Sam Seafeldt said six of the eight units have been rented. The airport also replaced its aircraft rescue and firefighting truck.

Seafeldt said he was a little surprised Jamestown Regional Airport won as Minot also was seeking the award and had just completed construction of a new terminal. He said it is a good feeling having the airport win this award.

“This win is for everyone here at the airport,” he said. “It happened because of everyone who works here, our general aviation tenants, SkyWest Airlines, everyone helped make this happen.”

Wanner said the Jamestown Regional Airport Authority, along with Seafeldt and officials with Jamestown Public Schools and the University of Jamestown, have worked “diligently” to improve aviation education in the community as well. The Airport Authority is working on developing a two-year aviation program through Jamestown High School, James Valley Career & Technology Center and University of Jamestown. A high school student who completes this program will earn college credits through the University of Jamestown.

Jim Boyd, chairman of the Jamestown Regional Airport Authority, said he is “extremely” pleased with the airport receiving this award.

“Winning an award like this, it’s all about the support the airport receives from the community,” he said.

Boyd said the award wouldn’t be possible without the work and effort put in by his fellow Airport Authority members, airport manager and staff.

“It takes teamwork to make things happen and we have a great team,” he said.

Mayor Katie Andersen, who serves on the Airport Authority, said having the Jamestown Regional Airport recognized like this is a positive association for the community.

“We are honored for this (the Airport of the Year) designation,” she said.

Andersen said the Airport Authority worked hard with Seafeldt and the airport’s staff in getting the airport’s passenger boarding numbers up during 2015.

“We all worked really hard to accomplish that 128 percent increase in passenger boardings,” she said.

Andersen said the Airport Authority also worked hard on getting the T-hangar project done in 2015.

“A couple of years ago we started identifying some general aviation projects we wanted to get done,” she said. “The T-hangar project was our big project.”

Original article can be found here: http://www.jamestownsun.com

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