Two municipal airports in Massachusetts – in Fitchburg and New Bedford – will be able to invest in infrastructure improvements with the award of more than two million US dollars in federal funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The work at Fitchburg Municipal Airport includes lighting, hangars, and runways and taxiways for aircraft, allowing the municipality to address critical efficiency and safety issues essential to the safe operation of the facility. The funds will help implement the airport’s master plan, according to a prepared statement from Mayor Samantha Squailia.
$1,139,395 was approved for the facility and New Bedford Regional Airport is to receive $1,211,490 for airport access road improvements, for a total of more than $2.3 million.
“These federal funds will advance projects that are essential to the operational efficiency and safety of our Fitchburg and New Bedford airports,” Governor Maura Healey said in a prepared statement. “We are grateful to the Biden-Harris administration for creating transportation funding opportunities that will help us improve and modernize infrastructure in Massachusetts and spur economic growth in our communities.”
An economic hub for northern and central Massachusetts, the Fitchburg facility has 56 business jets, 124 regional jets and one turbojet aircraft and includes six businesses, including the FCA Flight Center, which provides training for future commercial and recreational pilots.
It is also home to Life Flight, a rescue helicopter service that works with Massachusetts General Hospital.
Unlimited Aero Engines, Nagle Aircraft and Wayne’s Upholstery offer repairs on various engines and other aircraft parts. Dr. Myles Jenkin of New England Flight Medicine performs medical examinations of current and prospective pilots at the airport. Skyline Aviation is an air taxi company serving New England.
“The airport has done really well; it’s in the black for the first time in years,” said airport manager Peter Kettle. In his role as manager, Kettle has attracted several new companies over the past five years, luring one away from Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford.
“These upgrades are not just about improving our airport; they are also an investment in the future of our community and ensuring Fitchburg continues to thrive as a hub for aviation and economic development,” Squailia said.
Lieutenant Governor Kimberly Driscoll called the city’s airports “vital hubs” for regional travelers and the local economy. The state is pleased to have received the federal funding and plans to apply for additional grants and subsidies in the future.
“We are grateful to our community partners who worked with MassDOT’s Aviation Division to facilitate the successful award of over $2.3 million in total from this fourth round of the Airport Improvement Program,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt.
“Fitchburg Airport is a unique resource and a major driver of economic activity in North Central Massachusetts,” said Senator John Cronin, Democrat of Fitchburg. “I am excited to see the impact of this funding and am grateful to the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Department of Transportation for prioritizing the region in this round of grants.”
