Airport dedicates new J L Rice terminal

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Hundreds of people, including airport officials, local pilots, governmental officials, and stakeholders in the project were on hand Saturday to officially dedicate the JL Rice Terminal at the Van Wert County Regional Airport.

Van Wert natives Scott and Nikki Niswonger were on hand to help dedicate the new 4,600-square-foot facility, which includes a board room, a stand-alone pilot’s lounge, complete with shower and restroom, and a flight training center. Niswonger had kicked off fundraising on the project, which was paid for with private donations only, by pledging to match any dollars raised locally.

Ground was broken on the new terminal , which replaces a 300-square-foot structure built in 1939, on August 30, 2020.

Niswonger paid tribute to the terminal’s namesake, former airport manager JL Rice, who he said encouraged him and other young people back in the 1960s to earn a pilot’s license. For Niswonger, that was the start of a career that saw him first earn an aeronautics degree at Purdue University, then become a corporate pilot for Magnavox and, later, found two air-ground transport companies: Landair and Forward Air.

Niswonger also touted the development benefits of the new terminal, which, when coupled with a planned 1,000-foot runway expansion, would make the airport an important asset to community development efforts.

Rice’s son, Jim, who is also a Van Wert High School and Purdue University graduate, talked about how much he personally enjoyed working at the airport from age 6 to 18 and being around planes and pilots.

Jim Rice also told those who came out for the dedication that his father happily took the job as airport manager, which paid substantially less than his previous work, because of his love of flying and aviation. 

The project was also commended by a number of political officials, with Dave Wirt, district director for U.S. Representative Bob Latta, presenting the airport with a flag that recently flew over the U.S. Capitol Building.

Others speaking included State Representative Craig Riedel, State Senator Rob McColley, County Commissioner Thad Lichtensteiger, and Van Wert Mayor Ken Markward.

Representatives from Alexander & Bebout, contractors on the facility, were also on hand at the dedication, as were other Rice family members.

Airport Authority Board member Fred Fisher was master of ceremonies for the dedication, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to tours of the new terminal building, those attending also had the opportunity to ride and/or tour a number of aircraft, including a biplane and two of Niswonger’s Gulfstream personal jets.

There were also food trucks on-site, while those who got there early could sit down for a pancake breakfast at Elks Lodge 1197.