Great Falls Airport Authority to review master plan

The Great Falls Airport Authority will review and discuss the draft version of its airport master plan at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the second floor meeting room at the airport terminal.

The Airport Authority began its master plan update in 2014, according to Airport Director John Faulkner. Consultant CH2M is assisting.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires airports to do such 20-year master plans and update them periodically to ensure the airports have the facilities and resources to meet future growth. Commercial service airports receiving federal funds are required to update their master plans every 10 years.

“The airport master plan will provide the ‘flight plan’ for future development at the airport for the next 20 years,” Faulkner said.

The volume of commercial airline passengers has grown 30 percent since the last master plan was completed in 2007, he said. Similar growth projected in future years will require additional investments in terminal, parking and roadway infrastructure. The master plan will help the airport authority identify solutions to those needs.