During a closed-to-the-public ceremony sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, today’s Stafford County Regional Airport broke ground on a project to extend its existing runway.
A small group was invited to join the Stafford Airport Regional Airport Authority in the biting January wind to celebrate the beginning of construction on their new runway extension, which has been in the works since 2007.
The construction will add 1,000 feet to the existing 5,000 runway, which is 100 feet wide. Many officials on the Airport Authority and the governments of surrounding counties are certain that it will help bring greater economic growth to the area.
Speakers at the event included Authority Chairman Samer Shalaby, who gave a brief history of the airport’s development and commented on the potential future of what the airport can offer to customers who will come in for a landing.
“With this extension, we hope to attract more planes and in the future to be able to offer more services. We have great onsite mechanics, and we’d like to be able to offer that service to planes coming to the area,” said Shalaby.
Prince William County Potomac District Supervisor Andrea O. Bailey also spoke, and who congratulated the airport on occasion, as did Stafford County Board of Supervisors Cindy Shelton, of the Aquia District, who expressed excitement for the project and praised the authority for their drive and fiscal responsibility which led to the project becoming a reality.
Desi Arnaiz has served on the board for the last 15 years and stressed the importance of getting the runway completed.
“It allows a large amount of commercial aircraft that couldn’t come in here to come in. That extra 1,000 foot complies with their internal corporate policies, so the airport will probably double in services and landings. And it’s a good safety feature,” said Arnaiz.
Arnaiz also commented on how the improved runway could draw in long-range flights as a stopover for refueling before heading off across the country and international flights.
Hank Scharpenberg has served on the Authority since 2007 and has been one of the driving forces behind getting the extension done. Scharfenberg also commented on the economic possibilities that the extension could bring once construction is completed in the next two years.
The Stafford Regional Airport is responsible for $23 million in annual economic activity in the region, according to a 2017 study from the Virginia Department of Aviation. With the new extension, that activity may soon soar to greater heights.
Stafford and Prince William counties and Fredericksburg City each provide local funding for the airport.
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