Jonesboro Airport’s George Jackson: The Delta Is Ready When You Are

George Jackson • Manager of the Jonesboro Municipal Airport

What recent passenger trends have you noticed?

For the [Essential Air Service] commercial services offered to JBR, we’re currently experiencing a lot of excitement. Advertisement has increased community awareness of the March 1 addition of the BNA (Nashville) destination; 523 round-trip seats were purchased to BNA within the second week of operations. St. Louis continues to be a desired destination, especially since Cardinals baseball is back in play. Both destinations are great for connecting to commercial flights for continued travel passengers. Both flight options are nearing full capacity of all ages with varying agendas.

For the corporate and general aviation side, we are experiencing a large increase in operations as well. Aircraft-based inventory continues to increase.

How is the high price of fuel affecting the airport?

To date, we are seeing record numbers in fuel sales. We saw a 17% decrease in 2020 improving to a 44% increase in 2021. First-quarter 2022 sales remain stable thus far. As for the EAS … completed flights to/from JBR should not be affected. Corporate/business flights currently remain stable. On the [general aviation] recreational side, movements seem stable with both flight training schools located on the field remaining active. It might be a little too early to get a true impact. The aviation industry has always been faced with high and low challenges.

What special challenges do regional airports face that the bigger ones don’t?

Infrastructure improvements and general operational maintenance funding are our largest challenges. We do receive state and federal support in percent matching grants, leaving the airports to generate revenue for the remaining match. Revenue-generating options can be very challenging within the smaller airports. Both are always faced with increasing regulatory standards driving costs upwards, but grant funding caps typically remain unchanged. JBR strives to provide a more enjoyable personal hometown service to meet the varying airport user needs and maintain positive growth with what we have to work with.

What changes are happening at the airport right now?

Several failing taxi lane improvements and strengthening to accommodate heavier-based aircraft. Ongoing aesthetic updates to accommodate an increase in combined commercial service passengers and general airport users.

We are very excited about the new airport road/railway overpass, which will increase airport safety and ease of access to the airport. Completion of a 12,500-SF maintenance facility and RFQ review for an onsite maintenance service provider and lease agreement. Completion of the airport [Airfield Rescue and Fire Fighting] facility. Ongoing general overall property maintenance. Completion of sitework and construction bidding phase of four additional aircraft storage hangars. Various ramp areas of pavement crack sealing and seal coating. Perimeter security fencing changes to accommodate newly constructed structures. Beginning design phase of a new commercial service terminal building. Airport master plan update completion. Completion of a FAA-required and grant-funded airport environmental noise analysis study project. Construction activity can be seen every day.

What goals for growth does the airport have?

The major goal of the airport commission’s capital improvement plan has been actively seeking funding for a primary runway, taxiway and parking ramp-strengthening improvement project since 2016 in order to accommodate the growing trend of larger, heavier aircraft operations of combined based and visiting business/corporate-type aircraft. [Northeast Arkansas] is very lucky to see this exciting trend as it is directly associated with growth in the area.

As airport revenue-generating options are often limited, we don’t want to turn these operations away due to runway weight limiting factors. I feel this is a critical area of opportunity to increase fuel sales, move more people, increase the ongoing need for aircraft storage hangar rental and make northeast Arkansas more attractive to industries looking to locate in the area. JBR has excellent connectivity to the rail and roadway systems [and wants to] contribute to safety improvements in the event of a natural disaster in the NEA area by allowing larger military type aircraft staging support. The primary runway 5/23 can be extended from current 6,800 by 150 [feet] to 7,000 feet of usable length in order to open the door for endless opportunities. With completion and recent filling of a large development site for airport owned storage hangars, the need for a new development site is in the future, if the ongoing trend of based aircraft continues. Current hangars are at full capacity with a growing waiting list.

Has the airport fully recovered from the 2020 tornado? What improvements have been made?

All airport businesses are and have been fully operational within days following the disaster and airport revenue-generating aspects are fully recovered with some improvements. Seven large storage hangars underwent extensive repairs; seven structures have been fully reconstructed from slab up. All runway, taxiway and guidance signs have been replaced and security fencing replaced. Currently, Air Choice One EAS commercial services are combined within the FBO terminal building as the commercial service terminal building is in the beginning design stages and the only remaining airport-owned structure left to be constructed, pre-tornado. Improvements lie largely within newer costly building regulatory codes; other improvements are [from] past experience of problem areas and newer design of component availability such as runway/taxiway, guidance sign LED efficient light replacements and hangar door design options. All newly constructed structures are more energy efficient. We still often find challenges associated with the disaster.

Who flies in and out of Jonesboro? What industries and companies benefit from the airport?

Business and recreational travelers connecting both nationally and internationally. Freight and cargo industries. Sports teams, commuting students and employees, medical patient purposes, large to small corporations, local and distant business owners, military training operations, sports and performing arts enthusiasts. Hunters, aviation training students, political leaders, professional performers. Law enforcement exercises, media outlets, recreational pilots, and aerial mapping GIS companies.

Air travel can be defined as a time machine for anyone needing fast transportation to a location and return home. EAS commercial services offered to/from JBR being [Department of Transportation] contract subsidized makes airfare very economical. The majority of all industries and companies local or distant benefit directly or indirectly in some way by the facilities and operations offered by JBR.

What’s the best thing you’ve learned about leadership?

Lead by example, learn as much as you can about the situation, and keep an open ear and mind in order to take the best common-sense approach to any solution, staying mindful of how a current solution will be affected in the future. Be a co-worker and pass working knowledge on to the younger generations. We can always do better.