Airport expansion gains ground, planning meeting set

Improvements and expansion plans for the Flandreau Municipal Airport continue to move forward with the approval of a grant agreement to acquire another 54.13 acres of land.
The approval came at the last regular meeting of the Flandreau City Council and marks another step in a project nearly 16 years in the making. For years, the effort stalled over land acquisition, funding, and design. Now, that last piece the land is finally in place.
The city agreed earlier this year to purchase a neighboring field for $1,001,405. The Federal Aviation Administration will cover 95% of the cost, the State of South Dakota 2.5%, leaving the citys share at just over $25,000 to be paid from the airport fund.
Councilman and pilot Brad Bjerke, who has helped shepherd the project, said the expansion will make Flandreau a safer and more attractive option for pilots and businesses. The improvements will also make landings easier for medical air transport services such as Avera and Careflight.
The Flandreau Municipal Airport is more than 80 years old, built around World War II. Today, it hosts about 3,440 takeoffs and landings a year. Five businesses currently use the facility, including two ag-related operations, three other companies, and a local flight instructor. South Dakota State University also runs training flights out of the airport.
The current 3,100-foot by 60-foot runway is considered in poor condition and serves only about 75% of general aviation needs, according to the FAA. The expansion calls for a new 4,172-by-75-foot runway, which would serve nearly 90% of general aviation traffic and provide space for up to 20 hangars.
One of those hangars may belong to Scott Ramsdell, who currently bases his aircraft in Brookings. He hopes to build in Flandreau as soon as next year.
Our goal is to put it up next spring so we can have it done before the end of the year and hopefully house it out of here instead of Brookings, he told the council.
Thats where design details matter. A meeting is scheduled for early October with Helms & Associates, the engineering and architectural firm, along with local pilots, hangar owners, and users. The goal is to make sure the layout works for those already here and those who may come if the expansion is done right.
Ramsdell and others say a critical element is ensuring taxiways and hangar space can handle larger wingspans. Right now, some aircraft cant use the north row of hangars because of clearance issues.
Thats the whole idea of the upgrade to the airport to meet 95 percent of GA traffic, Alderman Bjerke said.
The council also approved submitting a capital improvement request to the FAA for reconstruction of a portion of the hangar taxi lane. The pavement there is currently rated at a Pavement Condition Index of 31 a failed classification. The $289,474 project would be mostly federally funded, with the city and state each contributing about $7,200.
City officials expect grading and runway work to begin by the end of next year, with the entire project slated for completion in 2027.