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Butler County Regional Airport to begin runway lighting work March 1; advanced air mobility plan proposed
Summary
Airport director David Fair reported more than 55,000 annual operations, steady 10-year budget performance, and a runway lighting replacement set to start March 1. A three-phase advanced air mobility plan was presented with cost estimates from $800,000 for Phase 1 to about $7.5 million for a full buildout.
David Fair of Butler County Development briefed commissioners on the Butler County Regional Airport's operations, finances and capital plan, saying the airport recorded more than 55,000 operations for the 12-month period ending September 2022 and maintains roughly 116 based aircraft.
Fair described the airport as county-owned, roughly 650 acres spanning Hamilton and Fairfield, with a runway just over a mile long and an instrument landing system. He said 80% of operations are general aviation and about 20% are air taxi services, and he presented 2025 financials showing roughly $384,000 in revenues and $370,000 in expenses.
The airport has several capital projects planned: a runway lighting replacement project already bid with contract work scheduled to begin March 1 and to run overnight where possible (8 p.m.–6 a.m.), taxiway lighting improvements targeted for 2026, pavement rehabilitation and engineering work slated for 2026, an airport master-plan update in 2027, and a long-term east-side expansion targeting design in 2030 and construction in 2032.
On advanced air mobility (drones and electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles), Fair summarized a three-phase plan developed with grant support that estimated a modest Phase 1 investment at about $800,000 and a full buildout nearing $7,500,000. "Phase 1 could be a small investment as $800,000... to completely build out the deluxe plan... probably a $7,500,000 investment," Fair said. He cautioned commissioners that monetizing electric infrastructure poses a challenge because electric aircraft or vehicles may not generate fuel revenues and will require alternative business models and private-sector partnerships.
Commissioners asked about what size jets the airport could accommodate; Fair said taxiway width (about 35 feet) is the limiting factor rather than runway length, noting that some Gulfstreams and 14-passenger jets have used the field but larger airliners could be constrained by taxiway geometry.
The airport has attracted about $6.3 million in grant funds over the past decade, Fair said, and is pursuing additional grants to support advanced-air-mobility readiness and taxiway improvements.
What’s next: Fair said lighting replacement work will begin March 1 and staff will continue to pursue grants and partnerships for advanced-air-mobility phases and the longer-term east-side expansion.
Direct quotes in context are attributed to David Fair, who delivered the presentation and answered commissioner questions.
