Work to fix an elevation problem at the McMinn County Airport could begin next month after a Monday preconstruction hearing, County Mayor John Gentry said.
Most of the $1.9 million cost for re-excavating an 1,800-foot strip of runway will be paid by the state of Tennessee, but McMinn County could have to pay up to $46,950. Mr. Gentry said that money will allow the county to move into Phase II of the airport upgrade, which includes hangar work and other improvements, so it will not be wasted.
"The county has authorized to about $46,000, but it will probably be around $30,000," Mr. Gentry said. He said plans are to begin the work some time in August.
McMinn County Engineer Robert Beene said the contract with the Rogers Group calls for the work to be completed in 90 days. The section of the airport under construction will be closed during the work period.
"We will still have 3,000 feet of usable runway to allow smaller planes to land," Mr. Beene said. But no jets will be allowed on the runway, he said.
The runway was extended last summer to 5,500 feet, one of the longest in the area, to accommodate larger aircraft, local and state officials said at the time.
But after the work was completed, local pilots discovered a dip in a section of the new runway that hid planes on the ground from pilots taking off or landing. A change in the grade created the line of sight problem, Mr. Beene said.
State aeronautical officials admitted that the line of sight problem had to be corrected, and began plans for the current work.
Correcting the problem will require excavating the entire 1,800-foot section up to 3 feet deep and regrading the soil, officials said.
Mr. Beene said dirt from the excavation will be moved to another section of the airport site.
"This will actually give us developable land we would not have had," Mr. Beene said. The extra dirt will be used to create another section for additional hangars, he said.
As part of the upgrade, new lighting was installed on the runway. The contractor will replace temporary lighting that had been placed on the extension, Mr. Beene said.
The Monday meeting will give final instructions to the contractor and local officials said they hope the county will be given a starting date. It is hoped that the work can be completed before winter, officials said.
State officials say once the work is done, the McMinn airport will be one of the safest in the state.
Future work at the airport will include new T-hangars. Charlie Nelson, director of the Swift Museum at the airport, said the Swift Association has plans to build a new museum and associated buildings nearby to house its planes, parts storage and service area.
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