Foundation gives $250,000 to VW airport

VW independent/submitted information

The Van Wert County Foundation (VWCF) recently presented The Van Wert County Airport Authority with a check for $250,000 to continue the mission of inspiring growth in the community. Funding for this project was provided by the Oscar J. Scaer Memorial Fund administered through The Foundation. This fund is an endowment created to support the charitable needs of our community.

Geared towards economic growth, The Van Wert County Airport Authority expansion project is a significant step forward to accommodate local pilots and new large businesses associated with regional economic growth.

“The airport is the gateway to our community,” said Airport Manager Steve Bailey. “We must continue to improve and grow to better service the region.”

A significant part of the project is a new terminal and a maintenance hangar on the south side of the runway.  The terminal building and maintenance hangar were built in 1939, while most of the competing general airports in the area have, or are getting ready to build, new terminals. Addition of taxiway, approach, and apron are planned, along with a 1,000-foot runway expansion.

“The Van Wert Airport runway represents the most important business street in the county, and it needs to be lengthened from 4,000 feet to 5,000 feet to accommodate business aircraft,” said local pilot and VWCF Trustee Chuck Koch. “Our terminal has long outlived its usefulness and needs to be replaced with a modern, functional building to serve people doing business in Van Wert.”

In 2017, nearly $500,000 in Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) grant money helped in correcting and building a drainage system to accommodate the upcoming expansion. Funds totaling $40,000 from the Flickinger Trust administered by the foundation were paid in four disbursements during 2017 and used as matching funds for the FAA grant.