Cassville Airport Reopens After $5.2 Million Runway and Fuel System Overhaul
Why It MattersSmall general-aviation fields that modernize runways and fuel capacity with mostly public funding stay viable as cross-country stopovers, while unmet hangar demand points to a capacity gap at regional airports.
Cassville Airport in Missouri reopened to air traffic on Sept. 28 after a $5.2 million improvement project, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the refurbished airport on Sept. 30. The airport had closed on April 20 for construction. City administrator Richard Asbill said the project was completed on schedule and on budget, with state and federal funds covering 95 percent of the cost, leaving the city with a balance of $250,000.
Crews replaced the asphalt on the 3,599-foot by 60-foot east-west runway, and in the fueling area, with concrete, removing all asphalt and base from the original runway and installing a new 8-inch base topped with 6 inches of concrete. Earthwork was also completed for a possible future runway extension to accommodate larger aircraft. The project added a new 12,000-gallon fuel system and a new pilots' lounge.
Asbill said that before the April closure the airport went through about 5,000 to 6,000 gallons of aviation fuel every five or six months, and that many cross-country pilots stop there. He described the airport as part of the city's economic base and future vision, citing its location near Roaring River and Northwest Arkansas. At least 14 pilots have requested hangar space the city has been unable to provide, and the city hopes to build more hangars and house more aircraft before asking the Federal Aviation Administration and the Missouri Department of Transportation for permission to expand.
Attendees at the ceremony included local business leaders, Cassville Chamber members, current and former city council members, representatives of MoDOT Aviation, the Egis Group and Emery Sapp & Sons, and local pilot and Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick.
