Oak Island’s Cape Fear Regional Jetport Expands is growing!The runway expansion project has been completed which allows the airport to cater to much larger aircraft.
And there are two more construction projects on the way: a 12-acre ramp and a return taxi-way.
All of this is being done using a multi-million dollar grant to Cape Fear Regional Jetport from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to build the return taxi way.
The state has put $27.4 million into the airport over the last 19 years with the grant money coming from the FAA, created by the aviation trust fund. The aviation trust fund comes from all of the pilots buying gas. The pilots, not the taxpayer, are paying for the development of the airport.
One grant-funded project is under way and another multi-million dollar grant was just announced.
Construction is under way for the$3.4 million 12-acre ramp and new hangar area. “This is to be able to handle the many jets coming in and out of the airport. They have been having to separate the jets from the small aircraft. Once completed, jet traffic will go to another side of the airport by the new ram under construction.
A $3.65 million FAA grant, announced this month, will pay for construction of a parallel taxiway.
Construction on the new 12-acre ramp is to be complete by early this summer, and the return taxiway is expected to be completed by the spring of next year.
Construction is also under way for three 100-foot-by-100-foot hangars.
U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., announced the grant earlier this month.
“The Cape Fear Regional Jetport is an important component of the economy of Brunswick County, and it is integral to continued growth and development. These federal funds, appropriated by Congress for use by the Federal Aviation Administration, will help the airport continue to grow and prosper,” said McIntyre.
In addition to safety concerns, the expansion projects also help with economic development to the region.