Officials in Bryan County are exploring plans to build a new public-use airport to help meet growing demand for hangar space and a booming pilot community.
According to local news outlet, The Current, a feasibility study supports construction of a 328-acre airport featuring a single 5,500-foot runway and 14 hangars. Demand appears strong—with 64 percent of surveyed local aircraft owners saying they would relocate to the new field, while another 22 percent said they’d consider it.
Meanwhile, several airports in coastal Georgia are feeling the strain of increased air traffic and hangar shortages. MidCoast Regional Airport in Hinesville sees more than 4,000 takeoffs and landings per month. Nearby Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport, has a current hangar waitlist of 65 pilots, with only 50 hangars available and modest expansion underway, The Savannah Morning News reported.
The proposed Bryan County airport carries an estimated $128 million price tag, however, local leaders say they expect federal and state grants to cover a substantial portion of the cost, with private investors potentially funding hangars and terminals.
However, not everyone supports the plan. Some Richmond Hill residents cite concerns about noise, traffic, and environmental impacts. Others argue funding would be better spent elsewhere.
Final approval for the project rests with the Georgia Department of Transportation, which will review the proposal before construction can move forward.
Hangar shortages. How about the ones occupied by derelict aircraft that haven’t been flown in years, out of annual, or sitting inside because the owner died, has medical issues, and or refuses to put on the for sale signage? Another issue I’ve seen are hangers turned into man caves, car garages, and hobby workshops. Perhaps once these issues finally get addressed, there just might be some availability for aircraft that actually get flown.
Thank you, Amelia. A good news story for GA. Love it.
As I look back in my early log books it is troubling how many of those places are now gone or hanging on by some thin membrane…
Build more rural airports. Lots of them. Close KDCA.
Building a new airport with hangars, is much more cost effective then just building more hangars, right?