southern just south of Runway 05,” says Collins. “Having a railroad just across the highway and being at the intersection of two interstates -- we’re hoping that someday we can be some sort of a transload facility, mixing our cargo capabilities. We do a lot of just-in-time cargo shipments into and out of the airport. There are five automotive manufacturers within 30 miles of the airport and shipping products by airplane is not something they want to do. But every once in a while, there’s a just-in-time situation and they have to do it.” “They’re very happy that they have a willing partner in the airport to help them. When a cargo plane is inbound, everyone is pulled off their assignments. That airplane is our priority until it’s wheeled up and out of here. We’ve earned a good reputation for that in the last thirty-plus years or so. So, we do get offered a lot of cargo opportunities and we want to expand on that. It would be wonderful if we could attract a company that would be located here in our Innovation Park area.” NEW HANGARS AND FLIGHT TRAINING Meanwhile, Mount Vernon Outland Airport is busy building new hangars and planning for more tenants at Innovation Park. One hangar has been built already.“We put that in a few years ago,” Collins says. “Joint Base Jefferson is almost done and very soon, we will have one 120 by 120 site ready for development. And once the current maintenance building is demolished, and the new building is built, then Innovation Park hangars three and four sites will be ready. So, within two years, we will have three 330 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 09
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