The Texas Department of Transportation presented the 2017 Most Improved Airport honor to officials of the Hale County Airport, located in Plainview.
Starting out life during World War II, the Hale County Airport flourished as a military training base. When the facility’s military mission came to a close, its civilian role began and it has been serving the surrounding communities as a commercial/general aviation airport since 1946.
Over time, as the region became nationally recognized for its agricultural research and university, the airport expanded to include commercial air service in the 1950’s.
Since the completion of the airport’s master plan, and through the TxDOT Aviation Division partnership, the airport has succeeded in completing two paving projects. In addition to paving, the most recent capital improvements project, completed in April, 2017, included replacing the entire electrical system at the airport including all airfield signage with LED fixtures, LED runway edge lights, and many other improvements.
Innovatively using recycled materials salvaged from demolished taxiways, the airport constructed a small perimeter road connecting the east and west ramps on either side of the primary runway, which allowed fuel trucks to shuttle fuel to both sides of the airport without leaving airport property or crossing the airfield’s protected surfaces. Finally, the airport worked with TxDOT to restore the runway to its original 6,000-foot length. With the completion of the current project, all of the airports paved surfaces are rehabilitated, remarked and ready to serve the flying public for years to come.
The thoughtful guidance of current and recent airport board members, as well as significant involvement by both City and County management has succeeded in not only providing a “road map” for future generations to follow but through recent capital improvement projects brought the entire airfield up to the most current standards.
The award was presented last week at the 35th Annual Texas Aviation Conference.
For more information, contact TxDOT Media Relations at MediaRelations@txdot.gov or (512) 463-8700.
(News release from the Texas Dept. of Transportation)
