The first new runway constructed in more than a decade in the state of Mississippi will be unveiled at a celebratory ribbon cutting and aircraft fly-in at the Copiah County Airport on Saturday, November 1 at 10 a.m. The new 4,000 x 75-feet runway, with runway lights and pilot navigational aids, replaces an outdated 3,000-foot runway. Aircraft operators will benefit from the longer length and allows the airport to welcome more complex aircraft, according to Ronnie Barlow, County Administrator. <\/p>\n
\u201cNot only has our safety and operational capacity been improved with this new runway, but the economic impact opportunities to enhance our communities and county will have a tremendous long-term benefit.\u201d he explained.
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\nAn airport fly-in will be hosted by the County and Grassroots Aviation, the airport\u2019s Fixed Base Operator, along with a special ribbon cutting ceremony as part of the Saturday celebration.
\nInvited guests include the Copiah County Board of Supervisors; local community leaders; Rans Black, Manager of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) district office in Jackson; Tommy Booth, aeronautics director for the Mississippi Dept. of Transportation; Congressman Bennie D. Thompson (D), representing the 2nd District of Mississippi; and U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R) and Roger Wicker (R). <\/p>\n
The new runway cost approximately $6 million for land acquisition, design and construction. The FAA paid 90 percent of the project cost with Copiah County and MDOT paying the remaining 10 percent.<\/p>\n
Airport Development Group, Inc., Jackson, designed the new runway project and managed the construction activities; and Blaine Companies, Mount Olive, was the general contractor on the project. It is the first new airport runway construction since the 2003 opening of the new Tunica airport.<\/p>\n
The Copiah County Airport is located approximately three miles northeast of Hazlehurst and four miles south of Crystal Springs off US Highway 51 on Lilly Lane at 1001 Airport Lane.<\/p>\n