Grant Available For Ft. Smith Regional Airport

The Arkansas Aeronautics Commission has a grant for a maximum amount of $500,000 available for the Ft. Smith Regional Airport.  The money would be used to repair four areas on the north side of the airport, near hangars, which are highly-traveled areas.  According to John Parker, Director of the airport, the concrete in these locations has collapsed and degra- ded to the point of causing what is known as "foreign object damage".

Concrete pads used by U. S. Forest Service "slurry bombers" are also some of the areas that are damaged.  Parker said they were not constructed to standards of the Federal Aviation Administration and were not able to withstand the weight of the fire fighting airplanes.

Having knowledge of the grant, the Ft. Smith Airport Commission approved an engineering contract with Morrison Shipley Engineers.  It is expected by Parker that the concrete work bids will be in by the middle of May and be ready for approval at the Commission's May 26 meeting.  The deadline in which to apply for the grant is in July.

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