Aviation View | Volume 2, Issue 2

31 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2 across the country, however, at times the airport doesn’t have enough hangars to meet demand. While Ogden says they have room to build on its 1,079 acres, although 5 new hangars have been constructed in the last 5-6 years, there’s no one willing to take the big investment plunge as yet and relocate a large RMO to the field. The City of Mena is home to the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Community College, which conducts classes in one of the hangars. A number of businesses located at the MEZ are interested in participating with employment opportunity programs, such as apprenticeships. The airfield is also home to a number of flight schools and several instructors. Ogden shares his thoughts about the importance of educating people on flight, noting, “I would always encourage people to learn to fly. There’s so much to offer and it opens up so many horizons for these individuals.” Recently, Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport has undergone a number of large projects, namely the renovated taxiway Bravo, which was funded by the FAA and the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The second completed project being the redesigned and resurfaced runway 17/35. Over the last five years, the airport has completed $8.3 million in capital projects. In the future, they plan on redoing Taxiway Charlie, as well as installing a new weather station. Airport management has heard from a number of businesses on the field that they’d like to open their doors for an air show. While not in the cards yet, Ogden’s team have penned in their diaries an important date, 8 April 2024, which is the total eclipse of the sun. He explains, “Our little airport is right in the path of total darkness. The state’s tourism board has informed us to expect the airport to be inundated with large crowds, as well as an uptake in air traffic to the field.” The airport is still interested in attracting more MENA INTERMOUNTA IN MUNI C I PAL A I RPORT businesses to the airport, which Ogden hopes will occur organically through referrals from existing businesses, as it has usually happened in the past. “From my viewpoint, the businesses on the field seem to cooperate more than compete against each other,” says Ogden. At the present time, Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport has a broad offering for aviation clients. Whether they’re looking for interior or external work, engines (for Lycoming and Continental General Aviation Engines), or other related services. COVID-19 hasn’t affected the airport in regard to supply chain issues – mainly due to its location and the niche