Bob Sikes runway work completed
Bob Sikes Airport reopened Saturday after work was completed on the southern and middle portions of the runway.
“Everything is back to normal,” said Bob Keller, president and owner of Sunshine Aero, the airport’s service company.
Work to overlay parts of the runway began in September. Cooler fall temperatures meant that work had to be done during the day.
The airport was open from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. during most of the project but was closed completely the last three weeks.
Keller said the runway needs an overlay about every 15 years.
The previous overlay took place during the summer, so the work was done at night and daytime activity was not affected.
“They overlayed the thing 15 or 20 years ago, and that one didn’t impact us,” Keller said.
He hopes work on the rest of the runway can be done in 2008.
If funds are received in time to start the project in the summer, the job can be done at night.
Keller said federal money from airport fuel taxes funded the latest project.
He said the airport filed proper paperwork so pilots knew when the airport was not available.
“It wasn’t dangerous and it was done properly — except we lost a lot of business,” Keller said.