Bay City Regional Airport

plant, other businesses, and a lot of construction of new ventures like hotels. The business folks overseeing and working on these projects fly out of our airport and it comprises most of our traffic.” In terms of projects and plans, Mason explains, “We have a number in the works. First off, with the current class of business jets, we are noticing that the distance between the runway and taxiway is too close, and we are monitoring the life cycle of our pavement so that when the pavement is no longer viable we are going to relocate the taxiway. This project will likely start in 2022. We just finished a $1 million project with the addition of a new row of T-hangars with bifold doors. We have 55 T-hangars now and I think when we build more, we have to look at box hangars or corporate hangars for larger aircraft. In subsequent years we are going to be increasing the strength load for the apron on our hangars, all of which will allow us to handle larger aircraft.” Another project they recently finished was a runway lighting project. Mason recounts, “When we were using all incandescent lighting, our bill was over $25,000 a year, which was ridiculous. So, we changed everything from ramp lights to our PAPI system over to LED and put in a whole new energy-efficient control system. We also, with the help of FEMA, brought in backup generators so that in a tropical storm or hurricane, if we lose power, the community does not lose the ability to receive and get assistance. We also need to update our master plan so we can look at where to go next.” There is a lot of items that Mason has on his wish list for the future of the airport. Among them, he would like to see Bay City Regional get a cargo handling facility, a flight school, and a maintenance shop. But he is certain these things will come, eventually. BAY C I TY REGIONAL A I RPORT