News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Upper Cumberland Regional Airport wants to add more tee hangars to its facility to accommodate the volume of pilots coming to the area.
Tee hangars are T shaped storage units placed in rows meant for individual aircraft. Manager Dean Selby said the current lack of storage is forcing the airport to turn away business.
“Right now, I got about somewhere around 40 people, 45 people on a waiting list. That kind of varies of where they are waiting to be able to move an aircraft,” Selby said. “There is not much turnover in that cause pilots, when they have an aircraft, tend to keep them long term.”
Selby said the airport has space to add 40 new hangars, but the price tag will determine how many to build. The airport committee is looking to conduct a feasibility study before moving forward. Selby said a ramp would also have to be built to the hangars. Increasing the overall price of the project.
“I really do not know what it would cost to build a tee hangar for each one now,” Selby said. “That is why we were in the initial stages of we need to explore this, and at least look at what the costs could be. Is it feasible? Let’s look at a feasibility study. Let’s look at what type of return on investment we would have.”
Selby said the capacity issues show the recent growth of the Upper Cumberland. Also, the airport’s flight school has been popular.
“It also has to do with the new pilots we are generating in this area,” Selby said. “Our flight schools have been super busy. We have three different instructors running on the field right now with I think five rental aircraft here now. As that has built up and grown more popular, we are creating more pilots and therefore, pilots want more aircraft.”
Selby said the additional hangars are necessary, especially for aircraft owners looking to move to the Upper Cumberland.
