Upper Cumberland Regional Airport is going to play host to an air event in October, and, according to airport manager Dean Selby, it will include some great incentives to bring the public out to the airport.
“We want to get back to community involvement at the airport,” Selby said .
Selby said the UCRA board has been focused on a lot of growth-related projects recently, so, during their regular meeting earlier this month, they voted to hire an event coordinator to plan the air event they have scheduled for Oct. 22 and 23.
“By bringing someone in to do the event planning, we can continue to focus on our growth and let him focus on the event,” Selby said.
Selby said that, while the itinerary isn’t set and there is much more information to come in the next couple of months, he does know there are plans to bring in several aerial demonstration acts, vendors and food trucks, and military aircraft.
“We want there to be things for people to come and see, to come and walk around and do while they are here,” Selby explained.
He also added that as soon as the itinerary was set, they would begin pre-selling tickets to the event, using an online checkout page.
During the most recent meeting of the UCRA Board, discussions about a new hangar took place.
“The groundwork to bring a company in and let them build one, possibly two, hangars is being laid,” Selby said.
The airport has the space south of the airport to accommodate the new hangars being discussed, but a ramp would need to be built.
“The company, which we aren’t at liberty to say who that is at this time, will pay 100 percent of the costs, and then, after a designated number of years, usually 30, the airport will get the property, and they will lease it from us.”
Also on the agenda was a review of the past month’s fuel sales. The 36,542 gallons sold constituted a record month for the airport whose previous high had been between 31,000 and 32,000 gallons.
“We are seeing a lot more large air traffic,” Selby said, pointing out there was an almost 8,000-gallon increase in Jet-A Fuel last month.
Other announcements included the Jet A Truck that the board authorized for purchase is expected to arrive by the end of July, and that, at the moment, the Enterprise Rental Car program, which strives to keep rental vehicles available onsite at the UCRA, is working.
“As long as they continue to keep cars here, this is working,” Selby said. “We would rather support a business than create one of our own.”
Selby said the airport will still need to purchase new courtesy cars, and he is still looking for affordable options for that program.
Before the meeting adjourned, it was announce the grant to move the Fuel Farm into Phase 3 is currently pending, and the demolition of the abandoned house on the airport property is awaiting an update from White County as to when that might take place.
The next meeting of the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport Board is scheduled for July 13.
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