JONESBORO, Ark. — The Jonesboro Municipal Airport has been named 2024 Arkansas Airport of the Year by the Arkansas Division of Aeronautics. The designation was officially awarded September 17 and presented to the airport commission Tuesday, September 24. The airport was heavily damaged by a tornado in 2020 and has garnered statewide attention by rebuilding to a higher standard.
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver said, “The airport is an asset to the community and will play an even bigger role in the continued growth and prosperity of not only Jonesboro but all of northeast Arkansas.” Copenhaver acknowledged U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton and Representative Rick Crawford for supporting the Jonesboro Municipal Airport.
“Significant local, state and federal partnerships contribute to the growth and success of the airport, including maintaining a runway 150 feet in width,” said Copenhaver.
Lengthening the runway is anticipated in 2025 and 2026. Bids for a new terminal may be let as early as next month, with construction in late spring of 2025.
The city has established the Jonesboro Municipal Airport Commission, which consists of 7 board members, to provide recommendations concerning all airport matters. The Airport Manager, appointed by the Airport Commission, has the day-to-day responsibility for the operation of the Airport. However, the Airport Commission is responsible for the operation and development needs of the airport, as well as the compliance with all federal, state and local regulations that pertain to the operation of the airport.
The airport is located at 3901 Lindbergh Drive, approximately 3 miles east of the Central Business District (CBD) of Jonesboro.
Jonesboro Municipal Airport, classified as a commercial service airport by the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, has property consisting of approximately 1,000 acres. Currently, the airport is served by Southern Airways Express which provides 3 round trip flights per day on average to (STL) St. Louis, Missouri and (BNA) Nashville, Tennessee airports that provide connecting direct flights to both international and most major U.S. city destinations.
The proposed primary runway, taxiway and parking ramp pavement strengthening is a critical project for the Jonesboro Municipal Airport, the City of Jonesboro and surrounding communities in Northeast Arkansas. This additional strength will help existing based and itinerant aircraft fully utilize the airport and operated more safely. It will also accommodate much larger aircraft that have needed to use Jonesboro’s facilities for years but have been unable to. The completion of this project will immediately generate significant operations of larger aircraft at the Jonesboro Airport, which will impact fuel sales and other direct revenues to the community and will provide a tremendous opportunity for economic growth in a large area of Northeast Arkansas.
View the proposed plan at Jonesboro.org
press release
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