CARES Act funds support GTR through period of low passenger numbers

Although very few people are flying into and out of Golden Triangle Regional Airport due to COVID-19, funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Security (CARES) Act are helping to keep it aloft.

GTR Executive Director Mike Hainsey said the airport was down to one flight to Atlanta a day compared with four prior to the pandemic. However, he said the airport was still being used, with some training operations from Columbus Air Force Base still taking off and landing on the runway. The airport is also undertaking some upgrade projects.

“Basically, with the economy on hold, people aren’t flying,” Hainsey said. “We’re down to one flight a day on Delta. It makes sense, because that one flight isn’t even half full.”

However, he said the airport was starting to see a slightly larger number of passengers on the Delta flight.

“Our air service, part of it is still pretty much on hold,” Hainsey said.

However, he said the airport itself was still being used by both the Air Force, and to a lesser degree, general aviation pilots.

“The runway’s still open,” Hainsey said. “The military still uses us. About 60% of our traffic is military. Those guys are still there six days a week trying to get caught up with their pilot shortage, so that’s keeping the airport busy.”

He spoke to several construction projects underway, including those being undertaken with CARES Act funds.

“We opened bids yesterday, so about $4.5 million in projects we’re processing,” Hainsey said. “That work will start probably in July or August.”

Some of the work will be from a $1.1 million Federal Aviation Administration grant.

Hainsey said the airport’s CARES Act allotment meant the airport did not have to field a match like it normally would for the grant.

“The FAA calls it an entitlement,” Hainsey said. “They give us $1 million a year to keep our infrastructure up because we’re eligible for a grant. Normally, that’s a 90% grant, but this year under the CARES Act, it’s a 100% grant, so they’re actually paying $1.1 million, and that helps us not have to come up with the cost share of it.”

He said projects include re