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Friends of the Airport update: hangars full, simulator added and airport name change proposed
Summary
Friends of the Airport and city staff reported full hangars, nearly 7,500 operations in 2024, a new automated weather system and fuel system, the arrival of a certified Redbird simulator and a proposed resolution to rename the municipal airport to 'regional' to seek broader funding and economic opportunities.
Sander, speaking for the Friends of the Airport, told the Committee of the Whole that the Fergus Falls Airport is handling growing activity and that planners and volunteers are pursuing projects to support further growth.
“The Fergus Falls Airport [is] located on 730 acres,” Sander said, giving an inventory of facilities and noting that the main terminal totals about 15,000 square feet. He said the airport hosted just under 7,500 operations in 2024 and that growth is expected to outpace earlier master-plan estimates.
Sander listed recent investments: a state-funded replacement automated weather observation system, a new fuel system (roughly $800,000 with about 30% locally funded), and recent runway resealing expected to protect pavement for another decade. He said all city-owned T-hangars are occupied and that private hangars and transient parking needs outstrip available capacity.
On training and services, Sander highlighted a new flight-training provider (Nordic Plains) and a certified Redbird flight simulator now available to students and the public. He also announced an airshow scheduled for June 27 next year and said the airport hosts recurring events that draw hundreds to the city.
Mayor Hicks said staff will present a resolution to change the airport’s designation from “municipal” to “regional,” which he framed as an economic-development strategy to spread funding across a broader geography and make the airport more attractive to outside investment. He and Sander discussed a potential hangar project with an estimated $1 million cost and a program that may cover about 95% of the cost from federal and state sources, leaving the city with approximately $50,000 in local share if pursued.
Councilors asked operational questions — whether new hangars would be rented overnight and whether new services generate revenue. Sander answered that hangars are rented like a hotel-room model and that added storage and services have generated new activity for the community.
Next steps: staff will include a name-change resolution and related grant opportunities in upcoming council packets for formal consideration.
