FAA awards Havre City-County Airport $1.2 million

Montana airports will receive nearly $9 million in funding, and the Havre City-County Airport will get more than $1.2 million of that, congressional representatives announced Thursday.

"When you live in Big Sky Country, sometimes you've got to fly to get you where you're going," Sen. Jon Tester said in a press release. "That's why responsibly investing in Montana's airports is so important because air travel supports good-paying jobs, our tourism economy, our businesses and our Big Sky way of life."

The $1,216,934 Federal Aviation Administration grant will pay for a three-part renovative construction project, a press release from Sen. Steve Daines says.

"Montana's community airports play a critical role in connecting our state," Daines said in the release. "Every single dollar makes a huge difference to keeping our rural airports reliable and ready to use."

Big Sandy also received a grant from the FAA, $75,863 for replacement of the airport's existing beacon; replacement of the airport's existing segmented circle and wind cone navigational aids, and rehabilitation of the current lighting system electrical vault. 

The FAA grant also awarded funds ranging from $53,000 to $1.68 million to 18 other Montana airports.

Havre City-County Airport Manager Tony Dolphay said work there is expected to begin in August.

The first part of the project includes the rehabilitation of 10,000 square yards of the existing apron to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement; the second part will include the second of three construction phases for the rehabilitation of 400 feet of the existing taxiway C needed to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement; and the third part will be the final phase for the reconstruction of 5,000 square yards of the existing apron pavement.

"The main part of the project is our ramp area," Dolphay said. "Our pavement is quite old and cracked up badly."

Havre City Finance Director Doug Kaercher said the money will be distributed by way of incremental reimbursement as the project advances and phases are complete.

Airport activity has increased recently, part of the reason being the reliability of services like those provided by Cape Air, which flies in twice a day and out twice a day, Dolphay said. People fly to Billings for various reasons - business, shopping, medical and even recreation, he added.

Dolphay said daily deliveries also are made by UPS, as well as frequent trips by U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. military, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks personnel and many others who utilize the airport.

Dolphay likened the airport to a school district.

"Your airport is like a school district. It doesn't make money, but can we live without it?" Dolphay said.