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Aeronautics Commission Approves $500K Will Rogers World Airport during January Meeting

Monday, January 15, 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - The Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission last week awarded a state grant to the Oklahoma City Airport Authority for a state infrastructure project. The Commission awarded the grant through its Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

“We know through the 2017 Aviation & Aerospace Economic Impact Study that 109 airports in the Oklahoma Airport System are responsible for $10.6B of annual economic activity. It is important to maintain and continually improve our state airport system to meet the needs of users of the system such as business, aeromedical, and personal.  The Commission is pleased to provide Oklahoma communities with federal and state financial assistance to develop and maintain their local airports,” said director of aeronautics Victor Bird. “These airports are gateways to the world for communities across our state.”

The Commission approved an amendment to the Three-year CIP that would add an FY 2018 project at the Will Rogers World Airport (Oklahoma City) to strengthen apron pavement in the hangar area just east of Runway 17R/35L.  The total project cost was estimated to be $500,000 and was funded with $250,000 of state grant funds and $250,000 of local matching funds.

The aviation economic study showed the Will Rogers World Airport has annual economic activity of $4B. The airport set a record last year for passenger traffic according the Department of Airports which reported 3.9 million persons flew in and out of the airport during the 2017 calendar year.  The increase is attributed to increased airline and flight service. 

The CIP is the method used by the Commission to determine where federal and state funds will be invested.  These decisions regarding airport development are consistent with achieving the goals laid out in the Oklahoma Airport System Plan (OASP). Airports included in the OASP are functionally classified as regional business, district or community.  For more information about the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission programs and the 2017 Aviation Economic Impact Study results, visit oac.ok.gov.

Last Modified on Apr 13, 2023