US Federal Aviation Administration (F) has awarded a grant of US$7
US Federal Aviation Administration (F) has awarded a grant of US$7.4 million to cargo-focused Rickenbacker Airport to complete its third phase of a three-part taxiway-rehabilitation project at the airport, which has been seeing double-digit percentage growth in the amount of cargo being shipped. This is the third year in a row that Rickenbacker has received similar grants from the F for the taxiway project and brings to a total of $22.2 million the airport has received, the Columbus Dispatch reported.
Spokeswoman for the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, Angie Tabor, said the F has now funded 90 per cent of the project, which is expected to be completed next year.
The airport authority unveiled a 20-year master plan for Rickenbacker this spring. Other projects that will be funded separately will include several new air cargo terminals and a refreshed passenger terminal. In addition, widened runways are planned to accommodate the largest class of aircraft.
Rickenbacker's growth has been driven mainly by the addition of flights from major international shippers, including Cargolux, Emirates and Etihad, which serve Columbus' strong retailing and apparel industry, among other business sectors.
