Airport gains nearly half-million grant

The Dyersburg Regional Airport has been approved for a grant totaling $455,000 from the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division to replace its navigational lighting system.

"The airport is very important to our community and, many times, makes the first impression on visitors to the City of Dyersburg," said Dyersburg Mayor John Holden. "It's important that we maintain our airport and present a good image to both our visitors and our citizens."

Holden received notification on July 5 that Dyersburg Airport is one of 21 airports across the state to receive the funding.

The 90-10 grant will be used to provide a more up-to-date lighting system and replace the existing runway lighting, estimated to be at least 30 years old. The runway lights were struck by lightning in February, knocking out the entire system for over a month and alerting airport officials to just how fragile the current lighting system is.

"We've been fortunate since we got (the lights) running that they haven't had any more problems," said Dyersburg Regional Airport Manager Joey Spindler. "But it's just a matter of time."

Approximately 6,000 feet of lights are located along the runway. Employees of Cottrell Electric worked for several weeks ordering hundreds of feet of expensive wire and piecing together the old system until airport and city officials could make arrangements to fund the new lighting.

"The grant will replace all the existing runway lighting with a more current system," said Spindler. "They are also going to replace the windsock and the lighting for the windsock."

After arrangements are made to begin the project, Spindler expects a 30-day transition when the airport's lighting system will once again be inoperable.

"It will be well worth it for the outcome," said Spindler.

"We are proud of our airport and the significance that it plays in the future growth and development of Dyersburg," said Holden.