Recently, the Missouri Department of Transportation Aviation performed an economic impact study on every airport in the State of Missouri. The numbers for the Sedalia Regional Airport were positive after reviewing the study.
The study confirmed that the Sedalia Regional Airport employs 27 people for a total payroll of $1,065,000 a year. The airport brings in total revenue of $3,629,000.
Sedalia Regional Airport Director John Evans was asked if he was pleased with the totals.
“Yeah, we would like to see more, but we always would,” Evans said of the increased business at the airport.
According to the economic impact study, common activities at the Sedalia Regional Airport include corporate flying, military exercises and recreational flying. Bombardier Services Corporation, Century Equipment Company, Fifth Third Bank, Ag-Power John Deere, Living Savior Ministries, Fortune Brands, ProEnergy Services, Medical Billing Inc., Midwest Accident Reconstruction, and Pinnacle Country Club are companies and organizations who rely on the airport to transport staff, equipment and goods in and out of the region. Additionally, Doraviation offers airport users aircraft maintenance and repairs.
In addition, local law enforcement relies on the airport to transport prisoners. This also includes the DEA. Civil Air Patrol also uses the airport for training and operations.
The study also listed the amenities that are available at the Sedalia Regional Airport. They include fuel, hangar and tie-down rentals, passenger and flight crew facilities, as well as offsite car rental services.
According to Evans, the program with the Tipton Correctional Facility is a great cost-saving measure. Inmates from the correctional facility provide services to the airport. They include weed eating and snow removal.
“With the inmates from the Tipton Correctional Facility, the airport has never looked better weed eating wise. It costs me $7.50 a day per person. They are used here, the cemetery and the street department,” Evans said.
Evans was asked how often the economic impact study from MoDot Aviation is taken.
“They do that about every five to ten years. It is expensive to do. They bear all of the costs. They do that for every airport in the state,” Evans said.
The study states that direct impacts are based on employment, wages and sales generated by on-airport business activity. Common direct impacts stem from tenants like fixed-base operators or aircraft maintenance operations. Also important to the success of an airport are indirect and induced impacts.
Evans was asked what upcoming projects are in store for the Sedalia Regional Airport.
“The next big project we have is on April 1. They are completely reconstructing our main runway. It will be shut down for a couple of months. That will impact us negatively for a few months. It is just a part of expansion. It is a good thing in the long run,” Evans said.