The first GA flights into the new Branson West Airport took place today. The runway is open, but no facilities are built yet. It is pretty much a fly in and fly out airport until spring, but at least it is open!
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BRANSON WEST AIRPORT OPENS[/FONT]
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BRANSON WEST AIRPORT SOFT OPENING
(A Dream Come True)
It all started about 12 years ago when the Missouri Lottery was huge. My friend Paul Hough said he was going to buy some tickets. I asked him what he would do with the money if he won, and he said he would build an airport in the Branson area. Paul and I had worked five years on a Stone County committee to build a new airport in the region, only to be defeated by those who won positions on the new airport authority for the sole purpose of NOT building the airport. Appeals to the Attorney General were in vain. So much for politics.
Then Paul reasoned that the land was still available, and maybe the little town of Branson West would want to undertake building an airport. So we stopped in to see Mayor John Rhodes and City Administrator Kenny Smith. Guess what! They thought it was a great idea. Now, many years later, and at a different location than originally planned, today, Tuesday, December 15, 2009, the Xs were gone and several planes landed and took off on a beautiful, cold winter VFR day on a brand new 5,000' x 75' runway at 1,290' elevation. My Mooney Ovation2 was #4 to land.
We taxied over to a ramp area lined by area media and local dignitaries. Pictures and short interviews were taken, and folks were asking what we thought of the new runway. But it was too cold (30 degrees) to stand around very long. The runway and taxi way are in, but buildings and hangars have yet to be erected. All of that is in progress now. A full blown grand opening is planned for June, 2010.
Don Rogers, president of Wells Aircraft, Inc., in Hutchinson, KS, is hoping to bring pilot training and Cirrus sales, service, rentals, and charter to KFWB starting in January, 2010. Negotiations are underway with Aero Premier, KFWB's FBO.
Talking about Aero Premier, I have to say that during a recent visit to New Orleans, and using Aero Premier at Lakefront Airport, I had one of the best FBO experiences of my flying career. The line crew and office personnel were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. If that's any indication of what we may expect at KFWB, everyone should be very happy.
Flying back to KPLK (the airport I managed for five years, and where I base my plane), Paul and I could only feel a sense of accomplishment as his dream had finally come true. They say all good things take time. And airports aren't built over night. In fact, airports aren't built much at all these days. But if you can dream it, it can happen!
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Jan Hoynacki, Executve Director
USPA[/FONT]
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