Last week, the Slidell Municipal Airport, which serves the City of Slidell and St. Tammany Parish as a general aviation airport, completed several projects totaling $675,000, further enhancing its infrastructure and facilities.

In October, work began on resurfacing the airport’s four old and deteriorating aprons, including the Fuel Pump Apron, North and South Terminal Aprons and the South Apron. Known as the Itinerant Apron Pavement Rehabilitation project, it consisted of patching, crack sealing and resurfacing over 140,000 square feet, took about 60 days to complete and cost $400,000, paid for by grants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the State of Louisiana. Crews will be there for the next two weeks striping the asphalt and cleaning up the job site.

In addition, a new 800-foot taxi lane was added that will allow aircraft access to St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Control’s new hangar, as well as five additional hangars in the future. This $200,000 project was funded by the state, as well as the City of Slidell via labor and materials. Also, a new vehicle parking lot was added at the airport, replacing the much deteriorated lot which visitors previously used. This new asphalt area cost $15,000 and was funded by the city. Finally, a $50,000 Airfield Obstruction Survey, which was required by the FAA, was conducted to insure safe heights of obstructions (trees/towers) on and surrounding the airport. This project was also funded by FAA, as well as the state.

According to Sam Carver, Slidell Airport Manager, “These projects were very much needed and part of an aggressive maintenance program we have implemented to maintain the high quality and safety standards that the FAA requires. We are in much better shape now and will be for a long time.”

These projects are in addition to the recently completed and federally funded project, Runway 18-36 Pavement Rehabilitation, in which the Slidell Municipal Airport resurfaced its entire runway at a cost of $707,000. In doing so, it became one of the first completed airport projects in the United States under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. “Before this, the last time the runway was resurfaced was about 20 years ago. It was in need of a facelift,” added Carver.

Slidell Mayor Ben Morris is happy with the progress of the airport. Since Morris has taken office, the number of hangers located at the airport has grown from 12 to 33, with the addition of the newly-added 16-unit tee hangar complex and plans to build one additional single-unit hangar.

“Over the last few years, the Slidell Airport has received over $12 million in federal funds to enhance the facilities and operations of the airport,” said the mayor.

Other recent projects include: completed extension of runway to over 5,000 feet, allowing the airport to accommodate about 98% of all general aviation aircraft; upgraded current lighting guidance system to a precision approach path indicator system (PAPI); constructed 16-unit tee hangar complex in 2004; perimeter fence completed enclosing 350 acres of airport property and two automated security gates installed to enhance security; and a 4,000 square foot terminal building/Emergency Operations Center completed.