The Tucker-Guthrie Memorial Airport in Harlan recently received a $135,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to update the airport’s master plan for future development. The grant is part of the $3.18 billion Airport Improvement Program (AIP) that Congressman Hal Rogers supported as a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee.

In a press release sent by email on July 9, Rogers expressed the importance of maintaining rural airports for the sake of not only the county, but for the state as well.

“As we work to create new jobs and recruit new industries to southern and eastern Kentucky, we must ensure that our rural airports are accessible and reliable for business travel,” said Rogers. “The Tucker-Guthrie Memorial Airport has one of the most beautiful views in the country, and I applaud members of the airport board for applying for important grant opportunities that are essential to maintaining and supporting aviation operations in the heart of coal country.”

“You know, any grant we can get helps us a lot up here at the airport,” said Mark Miracle, airport manager and board chairman. “We normally apply and get one about every five years, and it’s been six years since the last one, so we were due for it.”

Miracle said blueprints for projects around the airport have been laid out, including one for a runway extension.

“We’re wanting to extend the runway, and we’re in the process of laying out the plans for it. Everything from hangers, to the roads coming in, to the runway extension, there’s detailed plans of it all,” Miracle said. “That’s what we call the ‘master plan’ of everything.”

Miracle said the airport has also received a $600,000 grant from the Kentucky Department of Aviation for two new fuel tanks, one 12,000 gallons and the other 10,000 gallons. Aviators will be able to use their debit/credit cards to pay at the pump before fueling their aircraft.

The airport also serves military aircraft and personnel. Miracle added the Black Hawk helicopter is one of the most common aircrafts the military lands at the airport to refuel, estimating around 1,000 gallons each time.

Miracle said the airport is completely open to the public, mentioning the staff grills food for Air Evac and Black Hawk operators to eat and take time to relax.

According to the FAA’s most recent economic analysis, U.S. civil aviation accounts for $1.6 trillion in total economic activity and supports nearly 11 million jobs.

Approximately $2.7 million in FAA grants have been announced this summer for the following airports in eastern Kentucky as part of the AIP program: London-Corbin Regional Airport in Laurel, Big Sandy Regional Airport in Martin, Wendell-Ford Airport in Perry, West Liberty Airport in Morgan, and Tucker-Guthrie Memorial Airport in Harlan.

In October 2018, Rogers and Governor Matt Bevin announced nearly $5 million for new projects in Harlan during an event at the Tucker-Guthrie Memorial Airport. Those grants included funding for new fuel pumps at the airport, expanding sewer service in the county and rehabilitation of Portal 31 and other tourism-related projects, as mentioned in the press release.