LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) — Leaders at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport officially opened a 1,500 foot extension to the airport's runway Thursday.
That makes the total length of the runway 8,000 feet, and that extra length helps in a variety of ways.
"It allows the regional jets that fly out to now go out fully loaded," said airport executive director Mike Hainsey. "In the past they couldn't because the runway was too short."
Hainsey added that the longer runway improves safety for the T-38 jet used by pilots training at Columbus Air Force Base. The base accounts for 42 percent of the air traffic at GTR.
One local economic developer sees another benefit to the extra 1,500 feet on the runway.
"It helps us attract bigger aircraft, land bigger aircraft," said Joe Max Higgins, the head of the Columbus-Lowndes Development Link, who believes the longer runway will increase the likelihood of economic success.
The lengthening of the runway cost $10.5 million with almost $7.5 million coming from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Officials say that more than 75,000 passengers use the airport each year.
