Published: November 26, 2007 09:00 pm            

Officials still seek answer to commercial air dilemma

BLUEFIELD — With commercial air service still grounded at the Mercer County Airport, local officials are still searching for a solution to the crisis.

“We will stay after it until we can get some kind of answer one way or another,” Charlie Peters, president of the county’s Airport Authority board, said. “The airport is operating normally just like it did except we don’t have the air service.”

Peters said officials are hoping to hear back from Susan Chernenko, director of the state Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Commission, who was instructed last week by Gov. Joe Manchin to begin immediate discussions with new commercial air carriers, charter air-service providers and companies providing air-taxi services, who may be willing to extend their service to Mercer County.

“Right at the moment, we can’t say anything because we don’t know what kind of response she is going to get from those carriers,” Peters said. “That has to be established if she has someone willing to come in and do that.”

Peters said officials also hope to reapply for the federal Essential Air Service subsidy next year.

Joe Coburn, president of the Mercer County Commission, said he, with assistance from U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., have contacted the Region 1 Planning and Development office In Princeton concerning help with possible grant applications for the airport.

“We are looking for opportunities that are available to us, and plan to have discussions with Colgan (Air) to see what opportunities might be available,” airport authority board member Laura Gooch said. “We are also applying for the Small Communities Aviation Grant. We are going to look at all avenues — Essential Air, a Small Communities Aviation Grant — whatever may be available because we realize how important it is to our economic development to make that happen.”

Gooch said she is planning to contact Colgan Air personally to see what it will take to get the company to once again provide commercial air service in Mercer County.

Tazewell County Administrator Jim Spencer said the Virginia-side neighbors stand ready to help Mercer County, and will respond to any requests for assistance from Mercer County.

“I think the meeting last week was very helpful to everyone involved,” Spencer said. “Again, the air service in Mercer County is very important to Tazewell County. We stand ready to try to help in supporting their effort to secure better air service at the Mercer County Airport.”

The options discussed at last week’s emergency meeting in Charleston included a possible return to fixed-scheduled commercial flights. However, such a move would require a restoration of a federal Essential Air Service subsidy lost by Mercer County. The other options proposed for the Mercer County Airport include business or chartered flights that could assist with area business and economic development initiatives for the region, and on-demand public charters that through a proposed air-taxi service.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

        

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