The Texas Department of Transportation says that building a new general aviation airport in the Austin area is feasible, and it's now going ahead with a site selection study.
"There is a tremendous need for a new general aviation facility in central Texas," said AOPA Vice President of Regional Affairs Bill Dunn. " AOPA lobbied hard to convince the state legislature of the need, and this study is the beginning of the payoff for all that hard work."
The first phase of the Central Texas Airport Site Selection report determined that "there is a strong potential for a new general aviation airport in the Central Texas region to operate in a financially self-sufficient manner during the 20-year planning period."
The report found that the new airport would need 600 to 800 acres of land, should have a 7,000-foot runway, a precision approach and lighting, and be designed to accommodate business jets.
Phase two, the actual selection of a site, is already under way. After that will come the master planning and environmental impact review.
"This is great news for general aviation aircraft owners who where displaced when Robert Mueller and Austin Executive airports closed," said Dunn, who is a member of the study's advisory committee. "AOPA has been committed to creating a new airport and will continue to push for its construction."
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