FAA to give almost $10 million to Arkansas airports

Nearly 20 Arkansas airports will receive $9.99 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of recently announced grants from the Airport Improvement Program.

The agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Tuesday (June 7) awarding $518 million in the second round of the 2022 Airport Improvement Program. The awards include 416 grants to U.S. airports for projects such as construction of new and improved airport facilities, repairs to runways and taxiways, maintenance of airfield features like lighting or signs and purchasing equipment needed to operate and maintain airports.

The first round of funding was announced this past December.

“In communities of all sizes, airports are vital to local economies, sustaining jobs and getting people and goods where they need to go,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We’re pleased to announce this important funding to help improve airports around the country and better serve all Americans.”

Following are some of the largest grants in Arkansas:

• Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) received $3.88 million to expand the apron.
• Malvern Municipal Airport (M78) received $1.2 million to extend the runway, seal runway pavement and surface pavement joints.
• Heber Springs Municipal Airport (HBZ) received $1.09 million to extend the Runway 6/24 safety area by 300 feet. The grant supports the final phase of the project to enhance the safety of operations.

Some of the smaller grants supported the Rogers Executive Airport ($650,800), Manila Municipal Airport ($445,436), Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport ($411,125), Ozark-Franklin County Airport ($370,466) and Melbourne Municipal Airport ($315,000).

So far in fiscal 2022, the FAA has awarded $1.1 billion of the $3.2 billion in available funding this year.