Arthur Allen, chairman of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission, tells GlobeSt.com that he will ask board to support construction of terminals for regional airports in Lawrence, Beverly and Norwood to meet a growing demand by small jet users. "The future of aviation is changing," Allen says. "It's no longer [a matter of] going to Logan [International Airport] and taking a jumbo jet to a hub city. It's in point to point [travel]. The future is in little jets lining up to take people all over the country."
Allen says he will ask fellow commissioners to support the plan when the group meets next month as a first step toward getting the terminals built. Funding for the projects, which is expected to total more than $20 million, must still be approved by the state legislature, a process that Allen estimates could add at least a year to the development timeline. It should take about four more years before the facilities come on line.
At Lawrence Municipal Airport in North Andover, general manager Michael P. Miller tells GlobeSt.com that there has long been talk about doubling the size of the 4,000-sf terminal and making much-needed improvements to the facility.
"Right now, we're operating out of a building designed in the 1950s," Miller says, rattling off a list of terminal problems that include cramped administrative offices, no air conditioning, lack of handicapped access ramps and pre-9/11 security features. Norwood Memorial Airport and Beverly Airport face similar issues.
"There's a new wave coming" in air travel, Miller says. "We need to be prepared for it." He says a new terminal facility would create secure areas for pilots and administrators, bring high-speed Internet service to let pilots file flight plans or check weather conditions quickly and upgrade the existing restaurant and waiting areas for passengers.
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