By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Atmore City Council members are expected to pass at their January 13 meeting, the first council session of 2025, a resolution to increase hangar rental and tie-down fees at Atmore Municipal Airport.
“It’s something that’s long overdue,” said Don Flynn, who manages the airport for Sky Warriors Flight Support Inc. “There is a shortage of available hangars in the area, and this would have eventually happened anyway.”
Currently, each of the local airfield’s hangars are rented or leased, and a waiting list exists for others seeking a permanent place to store their aircraft.
If the resolution receives council approval on January 13, the new prices will be:
*Rental, T-hangars (#1-10) — $300 per month
*Rental, Box hangars (#11-16) — $450 per month
*Pavement tie-downs — $150 per month
*Grass tie-downs, wingspan less than 40 feet — $50 per month
*Grass tie-downs, wingspan 40 feet or more — $100 per month
*Trailers — $50 per month (Only aircraft trailers and trailers related to aircraft operations are allowed on the field)
*Maintenance hangar, wingspan less than 40 feet — $300 per month
*Maintenance hangar, wingspan 40 feet or more — $600 per month
Mayor Jim Staff said the city’s portion of the extra revenue generated by the increase will be set aside to purchase a badly needed Jet A fuel pumping station. Jet A is a kerosene-based fuel primarily used in commercial aviation within the United States.
“We found a used system for $200,000,” he said. “If we could get that, we could handle business jets and other aircraft that require Jet A fuel. “We need to be able to provide jet fuel for the airplanes that have to have it.”
Flynn agreed.
“Getting Jet A fuel is our next priority,” he said. “Our new training planes use Jet fuel, and we have three or four planes that are forced to fly to Brewton to get fuel. Getting this type of fuel system will be extremely beneficial to this airport.”