Pierpont's new aviation school will break ground in October.
The North Central West Virginia Airport Authority authorized the airport to begin searching for a surveyor to determine the exact boundary of the facility on the airport property. The airport will retrieve estimates from surveyor companies for the work before making its formal funding request to the board.
"We've needed to get a larger school to supply the workforce for the industry that's located at the airport," Board President David Hinkle said. "We worked with the legislators over the last few years, and we came up with a plan to increase enrollment, build a new school and allow Fairmont State to have 100% use of the present buildings at the airport. And, we would build a new [airframe and powerplant] school."
Hinkle said the project has been under discussion for at least a decade. The challenge, however, was financing, Hinkle said. The board's desire for a new school received material support last year from a special session of the state legislature and the governor's office. Together, both branches of government came up with a plan to finance the new school. Senate Bill 1029 provided $25 million for the new school.
The design of the entrance road coming into the airport meant the location of the school had to move about 16 feet from where it was originally planned. The change from an interchange to a traffic circle pushed the school from its initial spot. As a result, the governor's office requested a new land survey.
The new school will be 65,000 square feet. Enrollment in Pierpont's aviation program will go up to 200 from 130. The state limits how many students can be taught in a facility based on square footage.
"What this new school is going to do is it's going to bring us into the modern age of aviation, maintenance, and repairs," Andy Lang, board member and Bridgeport Mayor, said. "We currently worldwide, not just here in West Virginia, have a complete shortage of A&P, mechanics and electronics."
The airport's new terminal building is scheduled to be completed around the same time. Airport Director Rick Rock said the building is about 80% complete. Crews are focusing on the finishing work required to turn the facility into an operational building. Crews working on the exterior are working on taxiways, entrance roads and parking lots. The building will start with one jetway, with plans to expand to two.
The airport is rethinking what role its current terminal will play after the new one opens.
"We're going to repurpose this," Rock said. "This will be more for our private aircraft and some of our charters and whatnot. There will be separation from commercial and private aviation, so we're going to really look and see what's the best use of this."
Lang said during the meeting the average construction time of a new terminal from conception to facility is 10 years. By contrast, the new terminal at North Central West Virginia Airport will have taken only four or five.
The board recognized Director Rock's 15 years of service to the airport and Airport Operations Manager Ronald Cochran for 30 years of service. The board also awarded its passenger of the year award to Andrew Givens, sales manager in the tire industry. He covers West Virginia to Florida through his business travels.
"I can leave here at 6:30 in the morning and I can be at my customers in the Carolinas by nine o'clock," Givens said. "That is so amazing that we can do that. In 2022, I flew 51 one-way stops out of Pittsburgh. It's so nice to come home and have a 20-minute drive compared to an hour and a half drive down. So I commend everybody on this board. Awesome things are coming."