At Tuesday's Wichita City Council workshop, the council discussed the future of Jabara Airport in northeast Wichita.
Patrick Taylor is a project manager with Coffman Associates in Overland Park. He worked on the plan with the city and discussed the airport's economic impact. He says the airport has the sixth highest total economic impact among 73 general aviation airports in the state. Over the next 20 years, the airport projects the number of based aircraft to increase from 113 to 138 and for operations (a takeoff or landing) to increase from 37,600 per year to 48,500 per year.
The length of the runway will remain unchanged. The city will consider closing down 43rd Street North on the north side of the runway, along with acquiring 60 acres of land east of the airport. An east-side access point, land rezoning and more taxiways and hangars are possible as well.
The city will submit the layout plan, which is required every 7 to 10 years, to the FAA for approval.
