FUNDS TO ADDRESS NAV AIDS IMPROVEMENTS

The Clinton County Port Authority received notification from the Ohio Department of Transportation, Office of Aviation that it would receive a FY2024 Grant in support of navigational aids upgrades and repairs. The $493,000 grant will be used to augment Port Authority funds for the purchase and installation of a Localizer on the 10,000-foot runway.

“We are grateful to ODOT Aviation for this continued support,” said Port Authority Executive Director T. Alex Beres. “This grant allows for the Wilmington Air Park to continue to enhance and upgrade our capabilities for safe all-weather aviation operations.”

The Localizer project total cost was originally estimated to be nearly $1m including the purchase and installation of the equipment. Working though the ODOT Aviation Grant process, with support from airport engineering firm Michael Baker International, the grant will cover around 60 percent of the cost of purchase and installation, with the Port Authority providing matching funds to cover the difference.

The Localizer equipment is being purchased from Thales and will be installed by an Ohio contractor. Installation is expected sometime in the spring or summer of 2025, as the lead time to acquire the equipment is significant. It will complement work already completed by the Port Authority at the Wilmington Air Park.

In 2023, the Port Authority started a project to replace and upgrade the regulators on Runway 22R/4L. This $1.3m internally funded project is nearing completion. The updated equipment will enhance the ability to keep the instrument landing system (ILS) available on demand.

“The regulator replacement project was important for the airport for a few reasons,” said Director, Airports, Facility Maintenance, Safety/Environmental/Training for LGSTX Services, Jeremy Heard. “The equipment in use before was being discontinued making replacement parts non-existent. It was important for the airport to address this issue.”

With the upgrade of the regulators, older coordinating equipment – while it can still communicate with the new equipment – will also benefit from being upgraded. This is what prompted the Localizer project.

“The State of Ohio and ODOT Aviation has really become a partner in our success here at the Air Park,” said Beres. “Our facilities, runways, and operational capabilities are not just an asset for Wilmington or Clinton County, but for the region and the State as a whole.”

About the Clinton County Port Authority

The Clinton County Port Authority is a special purpose government formed to operate transportation infrastructure and lead economic development efforts. Designated by Clinton County, the City of Wilmington, and the CIC of Wilmington as the lead Economic Development agency for the County, it coordinates with the Dayton Development Coalition and JobsOhio to attract jobs to, and retain jobs in, the area. It has been voted a Best Workplace for the last five years. The Port Authority owns and operates the Wilmington Air Park, an integrated aviation and logistics business park located on 1,900 acres with nearly three million square feet of industrial, office and hangar space. It is the highest volume cargo airport in Ohio and ranked 22^nd in the United States and was named Best Airport in Ohio in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Learn more at www.ChooseClintonCountyOH.org and www.WilmingtonAirPark.com.