paying close attention to the business potential on the airport grounds. “We already have a painting facility, Thoroughbred Aviation, here at the airport that paints helicopters and airplanes.” “The Diesel Brothers bought an army Black Hawk helicopter and had it painted here at their facility,” he elaborates. “Over the last eight or nine years this has just exploded. It takes some money to buy a Black Hawk helicopter and to operate a Black Hawk helicopter but we are having a second one painted out there right at the painting facility,” he says. Cox relays that he is also open to any business to set up shop at the airport that could “produce jobs in Eastern Kentucky.” “We fully support it.” AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IS TAKING OFF AHEAD. Having upgraded the majority of the items on its masterplan infrastructure list, Cox notes that the airport is in very good shape for the next decade or so. Work was carried out roughly three years ago on a new taxi land and general runway rehabilitation which has positioned the airport where Cox would like it to be. “The construction firm did a great job carrying out the construction, the runway overlay, and safety overruns that were finished here.” “We are in the process of seeking money to have the lighting system upgraded to LED here at the airport. We have not gotten approval from the FAA, but we are in the process of requesting that.” Beyond looking to ideally add an additional corporate hangar and a backup generator in case of catastrophic weather,“the infrastructure is in very good shape right now, overall,” he determines. 171 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 03 BIG SANDY REGIONAL AIRPORT
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx