Elkhart aviation panel commits FAA entitlements to runway rehab, approves hangar payments and leases

ELKHART CITY — The Elkhart City Board of Aviation Commissioners voted on several capital and operational items at a meeting on Feb. 26, 2025, including a formal commitment of federal entitlements to a Runway 18/36 pavement rehabilitation project and multiple approvals tied to a new 10-unit T-hangar project.

The board authorized the commission president to sign a letter dated Feb. 26, 2025, committing the airport’s accumulated FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) nonprimary entitlements (roughly $150,000 per year, with carryover from prior years) to the Runway 18/36 pavement rehab project. "That project's going to cost a lot more than your entitlements," Andy, airport director, said, adding that the FAA discretionary program would cover remaining costs and that the board must commit entitlements by an April 1 deadline to preserve the local funding pool.

Why it matters: committing entitlements makes the airport eligible to be considered for FAA discretionary funding this grant cycle. Andy said the full project will exceed $2 million, that federal shares for FY25–26 are unusually generous (about 95% federal participation for those years) and that the airport will use a reduced local match from a federal fund rather than seeking new local appropriations.

The board also…