4 — Business Indiana, Friday, January 31, 2020 Officials: Airport key asset with room to grow By JAN SHELLENBARGER news@indianagazette.net S everal Indiana County government and air- port officials describe Innovative Aviation Flight School was recently added to the airport’s services. “WE HAVE a large number of private charters and private operations out of here, that are on the big jet size. This was our best year in five years
wide, the county-owned air- port is named for Academy Award-winning actor Jimmy Stewart, who was raised in Indiana and served as a squadron commander in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Stewart flew 20 combat missions in Europe during World War II, remaining in the Air Force Reserve before retiring as a brigadier general in 1968. The Jimmy Stewart Squadron 714 of the Civil Air Patrol is headquartered at the airport, providing avia- tion and service training for area youth. The squadron keeps a team of fliers ready for emergencies such as dis- aster relief and search mis- sions. “There are a lot of opportu- nities to get young people engaged, and getting them involved early is important,” Struzzi said. Hess said the support of several agencies is necessary to ensure the airport contin-
port manager Rick Fuellner said. “This was our best year in five years for fuel sales and that’s a direct reflection on the bigger jets that come in.” While Fuellner appreciates the business provided by the larger jets, he said the smaller planes are the heart of the airport. “I want themhere. They are a big part of the community. You can see the direct in- volvement with all of the people who visit here.” Fuellner said there are four important aspects that make an airport successful. “One is the facility, two is the runway, three is the approach system — so it’s an all-weather air- port —and four is the servic- es you have on the field. “That’s what will draw the people in here,” he said. “I’m working very diligently with the Center for Economic De- velopment and with local pi- lots and other airports to have an avionics facility.”
“Brad Kratz, the owner, is doing wonderful things with Innovative Aviation,” accord- ing to Fuellner. “He’s looking to expand, and he’s one of the individuals we are work- ing with. I want to have an annex out here where people can do flight school and ground training.” Fuellner said the airport has at least six corporations in the area that use the facili- ty regularly. “There is an average of about 300 private commer- cial-type operations that come in and out of here every year.” “The gas companies use helicopters to follow the gas lines on a weekly or monthly basis,” he said. “We’ve gained a good reputation in the last few years for the commercial helicopters who work with
for fuel sales and that’s a direct reflection on the bigger jets that come in.”
the Jimmy Stewart Airport as a major asset to the county, but they also acknowledge there is a need for more growth. “I think the airport has in- credible potential,” said state Rep. Jim Struzzi, R-Indiana. “There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that peo- ple aren’t aware of. The air- port has good leadership and the county is on board, as well as a lot of our business leaders.” Indiana County Commis- sioner Sherene Hess agrees: “The airport has had a num- ber of improvements over the last few years. It’s an in- vestment and a development of our economic strategies.” With a runway measuring 5,500 feet long by 100 feet
Rick Fuellner, airport manager
ues to be competitive. “The Federal Aviation Ad- ministration plays a large role, and so does the Penn- sylvania Department of Transportation, which pro- vides multimodal funding for general aviation airports like ours,” Hess said. The Multimodal Trans- portation Fund provides grants to encourage eco- nomic development and en- sure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is
available to the residents of the commonwealth. New GPS approaches have been added to the airport’s system, making it an all- weather facility. “The airport is really com- ing along technologically,” Hess said. “It’s just one more way the county is competi- tive in the region.” “We have a large number of private charters and private operations out of here, that are on the big jet size,” air-
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