BY JIMMY SHOCKLEY
Eastern Shore Post
The Accomack County Airport in Melfa is set to receive an upgrade intended to strengthen operations at the airport and bolster the Eastern Shore’s reputation as a leading aerospace center.
A groundbreaking ceremony for a new hangar was held Monday, May 4, and was attended by U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, Delegate Rob Bloxom, Accomack County Administrator Mike Mason, and others.
“Accomack County has earned a reputation of being a hub for aerospace activity,” Mason said, adding that the construction of the new hangar is “building upon the region’s legacy.”
Mason said the county is serious about supporting growth within the sector.
The hangar will be built by the Virginia Spaceport Authority and then given to Accomack County once it has been completed.
Funding for the $2 million project was acquired in large part by Bloxom, who said this is a project that he had been working on for some time.
Half of the project is funded through the issuance of bonds by the Virginia Public Building Authority and the other half was allocated by the Virginia General Assembly as a supplement, according to Lillian Palmbach, chief of external relations for the Virginia Spaceport Authority.
Construction on the 10,530-square-foot hangar officially began on April 28 and is set to be complete by Dec. 31, Palmbach said.
The Accomack County Airport supports 59 jobs and generated $9.3 million last year, according to Greg Campbell, the director of the Virginia Department of Aviation.
Campbell said that small airports, like Accomack County Airport, are crucial to connecting small communities.
Last year, all Virginia public use airports generated $42 billion, he said.
Kiggans, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, said she is quick to support aviation-related projects, adding “so much is happening here,” in terms of aerospace activity in Accomack County.
