Texarkana Regional Airport

petroleum products and aviation Fixed Based Operation (FBO) facilities. Its TAC Energy division sells approximately one billion gallons of refined product annually in 50 states, and its TAC Air unit operates 14 aviation Fixed Base Operations (fueling, hanger, and transportation services) including one at the Texarkana Regional Airport. Mellinger reports that the Airport employs a staff of 15 and, overall, there are about 400 people who work at the Airport in some capacity. Not quite self-sufficient, the Texarkana Regional receives funds from both Texarkana cities. “There’s about a $120,000 deficit in our operation and maintenance budget for next year and both cities provide the difference on that,” he notes. “The Texas side is slightly higher – they give about 60 percent and the Arkansas side gives about 40 percent in covering those costs.” Regarding competition with nearby facilities, Mellinger believes that Texarkana has some advantages and one main drawback. “The nearest GA airport is just up the road in Hope, Arkansas. There are a few in Texas, but they’re a lot smaller and don’t have commercial service. I think one of our advantages is we have a nice runway – it’s 150 feet wide and 6,600 feet long and we have a lot of ramp space. And we have good approaches into our Airport. The price of fuel is a little high at our Airport, but that may start coming down soon.” Going forward, Mellinger reports that the Airport is currently in the middle of constructing a new passenger terminal with its architectural partner, Wittenberg, Delony & Davidson, and its engineering partner, McClelland Consulting Engineers, Inc. “Along with that will be a new ramp and a new taxiway that will feed the ramp and terminal,” he adds. “In addition, there’ll be a new parking lot and an entry road into the terminal complex area. The total cost on that is about $30 million. We are funding that mainly through the FAA– 90 percent with AIP (Airport Improvement Program) grants. There are some areas that are not eligible for grants, like the parking lot, and that will be funded either by the State of Arkansas or