Virginia Tech’s airport has been awarded a $5.6 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to renovate and expand its runway.
The grant, part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program, will be used to make “much-needed improvements” to the Virginia Tech-Montgomery Executive Airport’s 4,500-foot-long runway, according to a press release from Rick Boucher, the U.S. representative for Virginia’s ninth district who helped secure the funds.
Specifically, the grant will cover 95 percent of the costs for safety renovations to the runway — although a later expansion of the runway to 5,500 feet is also planned.
“The reason for the project is the age of the existing infrastructure,” said Michael St. Jean, airport director. “It was determined that the runway needed to be rehabilitated.”
Applications for funds, including core samplings, pictures and cracks from the runway, were sent to both the FAA and Virginia Department of Aviation. The renovations, among other things, will make the runway safe for users traveling from farther away and enhance protection in case of scenarios such as engine failure.
The airport is “shifting the runway at the same time they’re going to extend (it),” according to Larry Hincker, university spokesman, moving it 900 feet to the west while elongating it.
“From an economic development standpoint, from a safety standpoint, from a stage life standpoint, business perspective—all of those are (reasons),” St. Jean said.
However, any future expansions are predicated on the successful completion of an environmental assessment study, he said.
Virginia Tech’s nearby Corporate Research Center stands to benefit from these developments. The airport is just 0.3 miles away and serves as a vital transportation hub. The CRC also has its own plans for expansion.
“A lot of people think that our expansion is going to cause some relocation of all the barns and things like that, but that’s not true at all,” said Joe Meredith, CRC president.
Some buildings will eventually be displaced to accommodate the CRC, he said, but this will take several more years.
The CRC’s $4 million Phase II expansion efforts move the park up to the Huckleberry Trail to accommodate tenant demand for space. It is currently in the process of completing its own environmental, archaeological and wetlands assessments.
Currently there is only room for one more building at the center, which facilitates sponsored research and technology transfer between the private sector and the university. It already hosts more than 140 companies, recruited or home-grown.
The Virginia Tech-Montgomery Executive Airport has its origins in a 1913 flying field set up outside the Blacksburg town limits. In 1931, the “Virginia Tech Airport” officially opened for business 1.5 miles from campus and was used to help train cadets in the build-up to World War II.
The airport, administered by a municipal authority comprised of Tech, Montgomery County and the towns of Christiansburg and Blacksburg, currently occupies 255 acres of land. Renamed in 2002, it serves today as a transportation link between the university and regional hubs such as the Roanoke and New River Valley airports.
A version of this article appeared in the Aug 25 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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Boy, I'm so glad the school spent so many millions of dollars to build that beautiful dairy facility just to plow it into the dirt and pave over it for rich folks with their own planes. That's really serving the university and it's students well. Good planning guys.
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This is NOT for rich folks in their planes.
The airport sited in the middle of the CRC is about JOBS
for the not-rich. Other than VT (the university) the CRC
is our largest employer and if it takes a runway extension
to help grow those job numbers and corporate numbers
this serves the university and its students AND our local
citizens EXTREMELY WELL.
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The only days I regularly see planes landing and taking off are game days. Someone needs to explain how this airport truly provides or influences jobs. The jobs in the CRC would NOT vanish or even decline if the airport suddenly disappeared.
It IS for rich people. Rich CEO's and rich boosters who are too important to fly in and out of Roanoke like the rest of us. A hired driver from Roanoke would still allow these important rich people to do their important work while traveling.
There are better things to do with this money.
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Anon,
You don't seem to be very well educated on the benefits that a public airport provides. You also seem to be very ignorant of general aviation as a whole. An old plane can be bought cheaper than the cars some students have.
You say you rarely see planes operating out of there? The airport supports an average of 46 operations per day. Students use it. Alumni use it. Businessmen use it. Get used to it. If you want this school and area to develop to its full potential, you are going to have to allow it to grow. KBCB is essential to that future growth.
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virginia tech's growth is made possible because of that airport and tech's president being able to spend time across the country and return in the same day to attend to his duties. funny how narrowminded people can be
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First, the majority of Dairy Barns were built more than 40 years ago and the cost
was no where near the "millions" you imply. Second, the Southgate Interchange
(regardless of a runway extension) will cut into 1/3 of the dairy site. So, those are
going regardless. Third, success is sometimes a challenge. The VaTech CRC has in
fact proven a major success over its 25 year development so an assertion that this
is the product of "poor planning" is false and basically a stupid comment. All of this
discussion is about planning!!! Planning and making room and correct adjustments
for all parties involved. Blacksburg is growing and it is growing west, toward 460,
so the dairy barns were going away no matter what you want to blame it on. Lighten
up, enjoy the ride to Kentland - it is gorgeous out there. But, I wonder, have you even
been? Doubt it.
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"An old plane can be bought cheaper than the cars some students have"
Actually used two person planes (cessna's ect.) regularly sell for upwards of $100,000 on the oldest most used end with most being $150,000 or more while new ones are around $250,000. Even the terafugia will be about $200,000 once it hits the market.
Now how is that less than cars that some students have unless that "some" happen to come from multi-million dollar families and drive the newest most expensive ferraris and porsches everywhere. I have not seen too many of those around.
Just a correction.
I can also say that every time a football game happens I see business jets fly in and out which isn't surprising. Otherwise I see small recreational prop planes that's about it. I'd understand all these improvements if I saw significant air traffic but I just don't and I'm outside everyday in Blacksburg.
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That's just plain dishonesty. You can get a Cessna 150 or a Cessna 172 for less than $40,000. Just check out tradeaplane.com
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Fixer-Uppers, or say Cessna's in an "okay" shape from the 1950's and 60's frequently visit the mid- to upper-$10-$20 grand range. That's pretty close to the price of a lot of the cars students are driving around these days.
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the vt airport is a classic white elephant - a gift from the king you are forced to maintain at your own expense, in this case sacrificing the academic needs of the college of agriculture. there are many days when there are no (zero/none) take offs and landings at our white elephant airport.
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days when the weather is bad. your deptarment of agriculture wouldnt have the funding or money it does have if it wasn't for the airport and the money the tech president is able to raise. you are infact clueless
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The VT Airport DOES provide direct corporate (as well as private) access to Blacksburg, Montgomery County, VT and the CRC. For those of you who 'hate the rich' those folks you so desperately despise ARE PAYING FOR YOU TO ATTEND VT. Your tuition does not even begin to pay the cost of the luxuries you enjoy during your 4 years here. So, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them. As for the VTCRC - existing companies and MORE IMPORTANTLY the ability to attract larger, established companies in the expansion DOES hinge on flying directly here and not driving 40 minutes from Roanoke. So, like it or not. Understand it or not. Care about it or not - the more than 2,000 FULL TIME JOBS at the CRC and the more than 2,000 new jobs yet to come to the site are somewhat dependent on the runway rehabilitation and extension. So, try to open your mind just a LITTLE? I mean, for an 'academic' community there sure are some closed minds here. Not sure you are a good fit.
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