Decorah Municipal Airport Unveils New Terminal Building and Hangar With Ribbon-Cutting Event

Good local journalism takes time. Your support helps make it possible. DECORAH — Local officials, Chamber ambassadors and community members gathered Wednesday afternoon for a ribbon-cutting event celebrating improvements at the Decorah Municipal Airport, including a new terminal building and hangar. The project represents about $2.2 million in improvements to the airport, with the project supported largely by federal and state funding, along with local dollars. A local match of approximately $300,000 was part of the funding, according to City Manager Travis Goedken. The new hangar is designed to support aircraft maintenance operations, including annual inspections, aircraft storage, engine overhauls and other general maintenance services. Fixed-base operator Mike Connell said the airport's maintenance operation has provided full-service aircraft work for 33 years. He said the facility sees about 1,200 aircraft movements each year. The airport also has a helicopter based there and serves visitors traveling to the Decorah area. The new terminal includes a pilot's lounge and an ADA-accessible bathroom. The terminal measures 6,400 square feet, while the lounge measures about 1,800 square feet. The project also includes a 30-kilowatt solar installation on the roof of the building. Mayor Andy Carlson said the improvements replace an older airport lounge and provide a more "welcoming entrance" for people arriving in the community by air. Carlson also expressed appreciation for federal and state matching funds that helped make the project possible. Aviation Team Leader Adam Thompson of McClure Engineering said the firm has worked with about 30 airports across Iowa and has been involved with the Decorah project for nearly five years, describing the project as "exceptional." The engineering team was involved from the project's conceptual stage through design and construction, including determining the location of the new hangar and considering the airport's long-term development. The new hangar replaces an older 60-by-80-foot structure that had been used for aircraft maintenance and was described by Thompson as being in "poor condition." The project is also intended to support the airport's future by providing a facility for maintenance operations and helping attract future fixed-base operators, according to Goedken. The facility had been operating for about a month at the time of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, although some remaining work and punch-list items still needed to be completed. Following the presentation, attendees gathered outside for photographs before the ribbon was cut. Community members were then invited to tour the new terminal and ask questions about the airport. The stories that matter to you, delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe for free.