Sep. 20—BRIDGEPORT — It has been a "busy summer" at the North Central West Virginia Airport, according to Airport Director Richard Rock.

Despite an ongoing rural air crisis caused by national staffing and funding shortfalls, the airport logged more than 15,000 passenger flights in June, July and August, Rock said.

While these numbers don't meet pre-pandemic heights, they are promising when capacity limitations imposed by the crisis are considered, he said.

Airport success in other key growth factors — like filling 97% of seats across all flights to Myrtle Beach — left room for optimism among members of the Benedum Airport Authority, the governing body that oversees the airport.

At its monthly meeting Tuesday morning, the BAA discussed ongoing plans that place internal improvements at the forefront, as members hope for continued growth.

The BAA approved a $3 million grant agreement to "help finish" an ongoing $23 million hangar development project, Rock said.

The airport is in the process of adding two hangars that measure 5,000 square feet, which will provide mechanics "state-of-the-art facilities" to work on larger, regional jets and "expand our job capabilities," he added.

The BAA also allocated just over $30,000 in funding to repair work on an airport gate.

The repair needs come from large aircraft landing in the airport "in the heat of the summer," Rock said. When aircrafts take off and land on hot asphalt, they "eat into" runways and gates in a manner that necessitates continual upkeep, he added.

"That contract was to repair some pavement area," Rock said. "Just to give a better product."

Guest speakers who addressed BAA members Tuesday included Ed Waske, director of the Carl Hopkins Youth Aviation Expo, who thanked members for their support of the expo last month.

Roughly 700 people attended, and "we really appreciate everybody's help," Waske said.

Watske was followed by Brad Riffee, executive director of United Way of Harrison and Doddridge Counties, who encouraged BAA members to support the organization in its 2023-24 fundraising campaign.

With renewed support, "You are United Way," Riffee told BAA members. While "money makes the world go round," he said, support comes in many forms, like offering programming and even volunteering.

During the BAA meeting, members unanimously granted $5,000 to United Way's current fundraising campaign.

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