MANASSAS — Fairfax 1 could have a temporary home at the Manassas Regional Airport.
The county police helicopter is used across the region to search for missing persons, robbery suspects, to fly the injured to hospitals, and a host of law enforcement duties.
Fairfax police have one of the only region’s only police helicopters and it is frequently called in to assist authorities in Prince William and Stafford counties.
A new permanent home is being built for the helicopter in Fairfax County. Construction on it won’t begin until summer 2020.
“The existing two-bay hangar heliport facility will be demolished and a new replacement facility constructed on the existing site. The facility will be approximately 16,000 [squre feet] with two larger hangar bays, offices, locker rooms, maintenance areas, a training room, and other support areas,” Fairfax County police told us in an email.
In the meantime, officials at the Manassas Regional are in talks with the police department to provide a temporary hangar at the airport. They hope to lease space at the former site of Dulles Aviation, which closed earlier this year.
Airport spokeswoman Rita White said that area of the airport, known as the west side, is slated for a complete redevelopment with new hangars and private tenants.
Chantilly Air, a current airport tenant, is expanding its operation at Manassas with an additional 90,000 square feet of hangar and office space that is expected to open early next year.
The Manassas Regional Airport is Virginia’s largest and busiest municipal airport.
