Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2018 issue
SPRINGFIELD, OHIO – The City of Springfield, Ohio, in conjunction with Clark State Community College, held a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony recently to celebrate the addition of 10 new hangars to Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport.
“The addition of the hangars allows the City of Springfield to bring in larger jets and increase traffic,” said Tom Franzen, assistant city manager and director of economic development. “We are excited about the possibilities to come and the economic activity that this will drive to our city.”
The cost of the additional hangars was $1.2 million, which was funded through a variety of sources, including $492,500 from Ohio’s capital budget process, $300,000 from the Springfield Port Authority, a reimbursement of $231,000 from the Federal Aviation Administration, and $190,000 from the City of Springfield.
The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry was an area of focus for the new hangars. Included is a hangar for Clark State Community College, formally known as the Ohio Center for Precision Agriculture.
In addition to the hangars, the city recently completed a ramp expansion to accommodate the projected growth of Spectra Jet, a Part 145 aircraft repair station, specializing in Bombardier Learjets and Challengers. The addition of the hangars and related airport improvements was due in large part to the city and its partnership with the Dayton Development Coalition, Clark State Community College, and the Springfield Clark County Community Improvement Corporation.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has shown that the airport provides a significant economic benefit for the City of Springfield by directly impacting close to 700 jobs and more than $40 million in payroll. ODOT also stated that the airport is indirectly tied to 1,450 jobs and $78.5 million in payroll (www.springfieldohio.gov).