By Brian Gilliland

GEORGETOWN — Although there have been many projects at Delaware Coastal Airport since 2002, the master plan for the facility hasn’t been updated since then. Robert Bryant, airport manager, remedied the situation this week during Sussex County Council’s regular Tuesday meeting.

Since 2005, the airport has received about $22 million in federal Airport Improvement Program grants, which covered about 90-95% of the project cost, according to the plan.

Major expenditures include $1.1 million for an environmental study to rehabilitate the runway in 2006, about $8 million during 2011-2013 for runway work and most recently in 2017-2018, about $6 million for navigation infrastructure.

During a previous renovation push in the 1970s, the report states, the industrial park was added. Since that time, several businesses, not all of them aviation related, have been on or near the site.

As for the return on investment since then, “some interesting and enviable numbers came out of this report,” commissioned by DelDOT to review all public airports in Delaware, Mr. Bryant said.

“The economic impact for the Delaware Coastal Airport is, of course, sizable. As a result of this study, DelDOT has determined that our airport generates over $165 million in total economic impact to the state and the region,” he said.

According to the report, Delaware Coastal generates more returns on its assets than any other public-use airport in the state. Based on the state’s valuation of the airport’s assets at about $151 million, it generates about 109% of its asset cost each year.

The next highest ratio is New Castle County Airport with about 75%, however New Castle County Airport reports about three times as much as Delaware Coastal’s asset value at more than $522 million.

Now set with a master plan update, Mr. Bryant said the airport could continue on its multiphase, multiyear improvement plans.

“It shows what we could potentially look like in the next 20 years,” Mr. Bryant told the council.

“It addresses projects that bring existing noncompliant airport infrastructure into new FAA compliance … it shows the runway extension … it also looks at available property that can be developed for aeronautical economic development.”

Other highlighted items include additional hangars and some property near the site that may be used for nonaviation related businesses.

The most pressing issue identified was the need to construct a new taxiway and Mr. Bryant hopes to get the project underway within five years.

That will come down to a matter of funding and how officials decide to proceed. Part of the master plan update, Mr. Bryant said, is to remain on good terms with the FAA, since it has funding programs devoted to this.

However, the county may also choose to fund the projects and construction, which may prove a faster process, he said.

Some of that funding process has begun via state and federal officials, Mr. Bryant said.

“It’s an aggressive plan,” he said. “There are some criteria we have to meet or exceed before we can pursue some of the projects. But in general, this is a good plan.”

Read the full report at Delawarecoastalairport.com.