Kincardine’s Airport Governance Committee has updated council on projects that are planned for the municipally-owned facility.
Chair Don Jones says this year they hope to complete GPS and vicinity mapping work for the airport.
He says it’s designed to make sure there are no high obstructions on or near the property that could be a safety hazard for aircraft landing or taking off.
Other goals for 2009 include improving public access and awareness about the airport and installing a cardlock fuel system using money from a provincial government grant.
Jones says it will allow pilots to fuel planes using credit or debit cards at all hours of the day, without having to call out an attendant to assist.
Bruce Power accounts for most of the traffic at the Kincardine Airport. Jones says so far this year, 15 flights per month have been related to Bruce Power itself or affiliated companies.
The airport was over 79 hundred dollars over budget last year, and that has not impressed some councillors.
Councillor Mike Leggett questions the value of the airport and says it is costing the municipality too much.
Councillor Ron Hewitt however says the committee was only formed in the past year and should be given a few years to prove it can make the facility viable.
Mayor Larry Kraemer says the airport is quite valuable to the municipality and losing it would be very poorly received by Bruce Power.
He says it would also have serious implications on future development in Kincardine.