The Charlottesville Airport is celebrating 50 years of service to the local area. The airport, now half a century old, looks much different today then it did fifty years ago, and more changes are in the works, airport officials said.
"There are many changes in the past 15 years I guess," said Bill Kehoe, a University Commerce professor and former chair of the Charlottesville Airport Board. "One change is there is a new terminal, and there have been improvements to that terminal."
In the near future, the airport will undergo further change, according to Bryan Elliott, executive director of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport Authority.
"We are in the process of beginning the expansion of the runway that could start in three years," Elliot said. "There are also improvements to the airport terminal building which will be completed in about a year. These include refurbishments to building, such as new wallpaper and carpeting, and an expansion that will handle baggage screening."
Other improvements will be completed in the nearer future, Kehoe said.
"The two significant projects in the works right now are the expansion on the south end of the runway in order to increase the safety area," he said. "Another ongoing project is the entrance to the airport. The two-lane Airport Road is being made into a four-lane divided road with sidewalks and bicycle paths."
The safety area, which is the excess runway space at the end of a runway utilized by planes that overshoot their landings, will increase safety at the airport, according to Kehoe.
"In the past 10 years, the FAA has been placing a great deal of emphasis on getting the safety areas in airports up to standard," Elliott said. "This project has been going on since 1997. When it is completed, we will be in compliance with national standards."
The further lengthening of the runway is still in the planning stages, but the projected cost is $33 million, Elliott said.
"We have to do an environmental analysis first," he said. "The runway extension is being primarily driven by the need to accommodate current aircraft. Some of the airlines have to not carry a full load of passengers, or they would have to take bags off the plane. If the runway is longer, they can operate without those restrictions."
The expansion of the airport will have a positive impact on University students because they often use the airport, Elliott noted.
"Our busiest periods of the year happen to occur when students are in session," he said. "October is our busiest time. This has a lot to do with Fall Break, a lot of alumni activity and recruiters coming in to do interviews with fourth years."
Some University students agreed with Elliott's assessment.
"Yes, I would like to see it expand," said Meghan Sweeney, a third-year College student from Minnesota. "In the last six months they've added Northwest, which is the airline I take home. For me, it's better to have more options when flying."
Second-year College student Alex Greilsamer, who travels to Dulles and London from Charlottesville, agreed.
"I would definitely be happy if the airport expands," Greilsamer said. "It would be easier and cheaper to use the same airline from Charlottesville to D.C. and to Europe. For now I can only do that using USAir, which I'm not too fond of."
Sweeney said she realizes the Charlottesville Airport will never be huge but is still happy with it nonetheless.
"It's never going to be Dulles," she said. "But you show up about one hour before your flight, and it takes only 10 minutes to get through security, which is nice."
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