The Panama City – Bay County International Airport Authority is constructing a 10,000-foot main runway at the new airport in West Bay, subject to obtaining necessary permits and approvals. The Authority previously authorized the design of the runway extension and approved a thicker runway and centerline lighting to accommodate a 10,000 foot runway.
The new airport will replace the current airport in Panama City with its 6,300-foot runway fronting West Bay, and a second, smaller 4,884-foot crosswind runway. Bordered by the bay, the current airport on 713 acres is surrounded by residential and commercial areas. Related Story
Earlier, the Airport Authority approved an 8,400-foot concrete runway with the option to extend it to 10,000 feet, if funding became available. The Florida Legislature, during its 2008 legislative session, awarded the airport an additional $4.5 million to fund the extension. Related Story The change in runway length is not expected to impact the construction schedule. The Airport Authority currently expects to open the new airport on Memorial Day 2010.
While the airport’s web site contains links to US Airways, Freedom Airlines, Chautauqua, Comair, Northwest and Atlantic Southeast Airlines, its schedule only shows service from Northwest Airlink Pinnacle and Delta Connection ASA.
“We appreciate the tremendous support we have received from the State of Florida for this new airport,” said Airport Authority Chair Joe Tannehill. “The State knows how important this new facility is to the future of air service and economic development in Northwest Florida. It is an investment in the future of the Panhandle - and the future of Florida. This new runway will be the only 10,000 foot commercial runway in the Northwest Florida region. From the beginning, our goal has been to build a new airport capable of serving the transportation and economic development needs of our region for decades to come. The longer runway will put us in the strongest possible position to compete for better air service and large aviation-dependent economic development projects.”
The group is now turning its attention to marketing the new facility to commercial airlines, which will prove to be tougher given the economic environment and the massive cutbacks in capacity. It is also marketing to transportation and logistics businesses and other aviation and defense companies.
Construction of the $318 million state-of-the-art airport began in January 2008, two years after the scheduled construction start but is now nearly three months ahead of its new schedule The runway has been graded and paving is scheduled to begin in early October, four months ahead of schedule.
The two-mile-long, main airport entry road has been completed, 80 percent of the storm sewer pipes are in place and the parking lot’s curbing and lime-rock base will be completed by the end of September.
“Construction of the new airport is going very well,” said Randy Curtis, the airport’s executive director. “It is truly amazing to see 10 years of planning coming to life.”