May 31--GREENSBORO -- An airplane manufacturer carrying thousands of jobs did a recent flyby of PTI, but couldn't find a place to land.
The airport has nearly 600 acres for a massive aircraft manufacturer. It just doesn't have a way to connect the site to the airfield.
That's a deal breaker for any company that wants to build or repair planes.
"I call it the Field of Nightmares," said Kevin Baker, Piedmont Triad International Airport's executive director. "They want to come, but we can't build it."
But starting Monday, the state Department of Transportation will kick off a fast-track process to open up that land -- and the airport's prospects for attracting major aerospace companies.
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The airport has known for years that the state DOT was planning to build a section of Interstate 73 through Rockingham County into Guilford County, eventually connecting N.C. 68 with Bryan Boulevard on the northwest side of the airport.
So the airport bought hundreds of acres, including a golf course, for future development.
But it couldn't build a taxiway from its runways to that land until DOT built the new road -- and a bridge large and flat enough to hold airliners rolling across the road.
The DOT hadn't scheduled construction until 2016, and local industrial recruiters like Dan Lynch expected to keep watching as aerospace companies passed over PTI.
But the state board of transportation saw, whether through political persuasion or direct observation, that the Triad's best shot at economic recovery might be that road beside the airport.
So earlier this year it moved the I-73 connection to the 2014 construction schedule.
On Monday, the DOT will send out requests to designers and builders to submit proposals.
Mike Mills, the department's division engineer for Division 7, said a builder could be chosen by November.
Construction on the airport section of the overall project could begin in March 2014 and be finished in 2015.
And that's as good as a signed promise for any airplane manufacturer to take a harder look at the site.
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For years, the region's economic development leaders have seen PTI as the heart of an "aerotropolis" that would include dozens of aerospace companies and thousands of jobs.
GTCC already operates aviation training programs at the airport.
TIMCO Aviation Services and the Cessna Citation Service Center employ thousands maintaining and repairing jets.
And Honda Aircraft Co. has become the airport's jewel as it develops the HondaJet program.
But those companies have nearly used up all the land on the southeastern side of the airport.
On a recent day, Baker waved his hand over a massive map of the airport to show how he and other airport leaders looked ahead to days when that land would run out.
He pointed to the golf course area and said "the obvious place for us was right here. If Boeing comes along or if Airbus comes along and says, 'We want to build our next Dreamliner and we need 500 acres,' we'll have it," Baker said.
Then he pointed to the proposed 3,000-foot taxiway.
"That's the most important piece of the entire drawing. Without this, we're stuck."
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It can take up to two years for a major manufacturer to roll its first plane off the line.
Before it commits to building, however, any company requires proof that a site is ready.
Assurances don't do the trick, said Lynch, president of the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance.
In the past eight months, two aviation companies have passed on building at PTI.
The big one came along last summer -- "the aviation equivalent of an automobile manufacturer," Lynch said.
The well-known company that he declined to identify wanted to know whether the airport could provide the bridge and taxiway -- soon.
With some involvement by the state commerce secretary, local officials promised they could provide it in time.
But, according to Lynch, the company said, "We can't make a billion dollar decision without seeing the bridge -- without seeing the bridge is under construction."
For the next company, that decision will now be easier to make.
Contact Richard M. Barron at (336) 373-7371, and follow @rmbarronnr on Twitter.
Copyright 2013 - News & Record, Greensboro, N.C.
