Hampton Roads Executive Airport Phase III Infrastructure Growth Underway Thanks To Significant Grants From The Commonwealth Of Virginia
Virginia Aviation Associates, LLC (VAA), owner of Hampton Roads Executive Airport (PVG), is pleased to announce Phase III of important initiatives for growth to enhance access and opportunities to pilots, students, passengers and inventors involved in the aviation community in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Over $10 million in new Phase III infrastructure improvements are planned, including a 36,000 SF Hangar complex. “This new complex will be perfect for housing at least a dozen-based jets, or transient jet storage needs or an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) flight test and research facility”, according to Luke Fox, KPVG’s Director of Finance/Managing Engineer. With Phase III in the works, the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”), the Commonwealth of Virginia and VAA have invested over $60 million in improvements in this important Mid-Atlantic transportation facility over the last 25 years.
KPVG will soon be significantly transformed with improvements to its entrance, apron, and hangar facilities to keep up with aviation industry demand and to prepare the airport to transition into the next 20 years of alternative fuels. “As airports around the country seek to find ways to fund much-needed upgrades, we are fortunate to have the support of the Virginia Department of Aviation, and we are thankful for this “cutting edge” government agency’s commitment to supporting the future of aviation in Virginia,” said Luke Fox. The Virginia Aviation Board’s recent awards of $15,283,656 in funding to support Virginia’s 66 public-use airports yielded $6,485,733 dedicated to growth activities at Hampton Roads Executive Airport.
The FAA has supported airport growth with previous grants of over $30 million. KPVG’s planned improvements also include the construction of an additional fuel farm for Avgas and Jet Fuel using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) federal funding.
VAA embraces the concept of providing fuel alternatives. “Along with our new fuel farm, we currently have a private electric airplane charging station and are planning to install public electric charging stations for use by transitioning East Coast electric airplanes and helicopters, as well as a hydrogen production plant, to provide several fuel alternatives for the emerging AAM aircraft. We are on the cusp of real innovation in providing fuel for the new aircraft platforms being funded and invented at an exciting and frenzied pace,” shared Steven I. Fox, managing member of VAA. “Over the last 24 years of airport ownership, I have not seen the amount of investment and focus on new aircraft that I have seen in the last two years. Innovation in both aircraft design and alternate fuel sourcing is flourishing. The public will be excited to know that the cost of flying should come down significantly as the new technology emerges! Not to mention a less damaging impact to our environment with electric and hydrogen propulsion!”
Since its acquisition of the airport in 2000, VAA has installed a new 5350 FT runway, a new contemporary public use terminal, new taxiways and runway lighting to support the new runway, an elevated rotating beacon, self-serve fueling stations, security perimeter fencing and associated automated access gates, security cameras, an aircraft washing station, airport apron expansion, high speed internet, weather station, and a 40,000 SF air freight/warehouse facility with loading dock.
In addition to these onsite improvements, VAA is excited to see VDOT and the City of Chesapeake improve the access to KPVG via improved ingress and egress to US RT 58 with the planned $14 million installation of new acceleration, deceleration and RCUT traffic improvements directly in front of Hampton Roads Executive Airport. These improvements are scheduled for design and construction starting in 2026, as the project is now fully funded as reported by the Hampton Roads Traffic Planning Organization HRTPO.
“Our vision of converting Hampton Roads Executive Airport’s 80-year-old barnstormer airfield into a modern executive regional transportation hub continues with this next phase of development. We have been pleased with the aviation community’s response and the support of the Virginia Department of Aviation, the FAA, and the City of Chesapeake,” said Steven I. Fox.
Located in Chesapeake and Suffolk only minutes from downtown Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Newport News, and less than a mile from the 64/664/264/58 interchange, Hampton Roads Executive Airport boasts the most convenient access by air and by land to the best of this region.
