Longer runway to offer more opportunities

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A major milestone made possible through a public-private partership was celebrated during a ceremony held at the Van Wert County Regional Airport on Saturday.

The ceremony marking a coveted runway extension took place in two areas. It began inside the JL Rice Terminal with a short gathering of airport officials, political representatives, and supporters who heard about the benefits of 1,000 feet of additional runway and 400 feet of overrun that will allow corporate airplanes to fly directly into Van Wert. Those in attendance were then bused along the runaway for a ribbon cutting ceremony, then were taken back to the terminal to observe a take off and landing on the newly extended runway.

“I think it’s the ultimate gate opening to Van Wert,” Airport Board President Andrew Davis said. “This gives the opportunity for businesses from all over the country – all over the world – to come directly into Van Wert without having to go somewhere else first. It’s a big step for the city, the county and the area.”

“Most people really don’t understand the economic impact of what you’ve just done here,” said Scott Niswonger, who helped finance the project. “Insurance requirements for most jet airplanes are for 5,000 feet and now we have 5.005 feet. As a matter of fact, until we did that, our airplane electronic airport information…if it’s less than 5,000 feet, it’s not in our database because our insurance won’t cover anything less than that.”

What you’ve done is open this community up to economic development in a way it hasn’t seen,” the Van Wert native added. “Van Wert is really now open for business and when that airplane parks out there and prospects come through these doors, I’ll be darned if we don’t show pretty well.”

Davis noted none of the planes flying will be commercial-size, but the largest private aircraft will be able to come in without restrictions.

Plans for the runaway extension were put into motion in 2022 and the layout plan was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration the following year. Bids for the project were opened in October of 2024 and groundbreaking took place a month later. Actual construction began in May of this year and the runway officially opened in July.

Funding for the $2.4 million extension came from several sources, including the State of Ohio via House Bill 2 funds, the City of Van Wert, the Van Wert County Commissioners along with a substantial number of private donations.

“There are people who want to fly in here and this is going to allow them to do that,” Davis said.

With the extension project complete, Davis noted the airport board will turn its attention to other potential projects.

“ODOT just rolled out a new program that will start in October where they’re looking to fund new projects, so we’re going to do everything we can to get something together to get some of those funds,” he stated. “Anything we can do to bring local tax dollars back into Van Wert, we’re going to try to get. As long as we have the funding to fund our portion of it we’re going to take advantage of it.”