Commissioner says need for pilots puts Ashland and new hangar in good position for growth

With funding in place and plans near completion, construction of the new airport terminal is slated to begin early this summer.

With nearly $400,000 spent on acquiring nearby private land and six private hangars, the terminal will be placed in the area next to an 8,000-square-foot hangar. It will be placed just far enough away from the hangar to allow for future expansion if needed.

“I think it was very important that the Airport Authority purchased that hangar,” said Commissioner Mike Welch. “It is an 8,000-square-foot hangar and it also had additional ground that was on that plot and that is where the new terminal will be placed.”

FFA funding used in past purchases

Welch said the purchase of the hangars was all through FAA money; no local dollars were used.

Construction is to begin June 1 with Simonson Construction doing preliminary plans. The airport is located at 714 Township Road 1102, Ashland.

“The new terminal will be nearly 4,000 square feet and built so it can have a flight school,” he Welch said. “I know that the Airport Authority is in conversation right now with a couple of universities to put in a Part 141 Flight Program. It would be much like what Kent State and Ohio State do now.”

Both Welch and Airport Manager Denny Baum talked about the overwhelming need for pilots in any area of flying, whether it is commercial, private or business.

“There is such a need for commercial pilots right now,” Welch said. “There is such a demand for these universities they can’t fulfill getting students into the program in a timely manner. They are full and there is a waiting list on them and we believe with Ashland being between Kent State, Ohio University and Ohio State, there is potential. We could possibly have a satellite program.”

Welch said there will be two rooms with simulators for the flight school.

New building could provide college degree opportunity

“Just having a building that represents Ashland well instead of this small, run-down terminal we have now,” said Baum about what he is most excited to see. “We are going to go from 800 square feet to hopefully 3,800 square feet. It is going to be a much nicer facility that represents Ashland better than the current building does.”

Baum also talked about the new terminal being placed in an area for expansion and explained the idea behind the Part 141 School. The school provides a larger variety of training aids and requires dedicated training facilities, flight instructors, oversight and FAA-approved curriculum.

“We will try and have the Part 141 Flight School,” he said. “Right now Tailwinds operates a Part 91 Flight School. The Part 141 is a more college structured classroom with the simulators and four or five airplanes. We would like to get Ashland University involved if they are willing.”

Baum said the new 141 schools would be a four-year degree program involving air transport, private, instrument, commercial and ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) among other things.

Looking at a 2025 opening, but hoping for end of 2024

“ATP is the big guys,” he said. “Like Boeing and other big airlines.”

The grand opening could be as soon as the end of the year, but Baum said 2025 is more realistic.

“We are looking at early 2025,” he said. “But we are going to shoot for the end of the year. If it runs into January or February that is fine.

“This is going to be something special for Ashland," he said.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland airport terminal, flight school would been boon for area