57 AirportImprovement.com July | August 2026 GENERAL AVIATION WWR Originally, the plan had three phases: 1) greenfield development with utilities, roads and a taxilane, and constructing an executive hangar; 2) a 500-foot runway extension and apron improvements; and 3) adding a smaller business hangar and apron if funds remained. However, an opportunity to acquire an existing and relatively new business aviation hangar next to the planned terminal site emerged early in the project, eliminating the need for Phase 3. In addition, the city purchased 104 acres of adjacent land to support approach marker placement and allow for future runway expansion. Jones describes the strategy as, “Let’s not plan for tomorrow, let’s plan for 20 years from now.” Transformative Upgrades When Ames signed on as airport director three years ago, WWR’s facilities were sparse: a 1,935-square-foot cinder block terminal and round top hangar built in the 1940s, plus four small box hangars that were all leased. “I had no more room. We needed the room,” he recalls. These days, Ames relishes the new 5,000-square-foot terminal, new 17,000-square-foot executive hangar and recently acquired 7,700-square-foot business hangar, along with the runway extension and other airfield improvements that make the airport more attractive to tenants. “We are always planning for the future,” says Ames. “So as we go along, we could possibly have charter service with regional hops between here and cities like Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, etc. We need to have the facilities to do so when we get to that point.” With plenty of available land, the airport didn’t have to tear down buildings to make recent improvements. “We built the new terminal between the old terminal and the business hangar,” Barnett explains. Moreover, it plans to repurpose the old terminal into office space and training classrooms, and also reuse the original round top hangar next to the old terminal. The new terminal features a 24/7 pilot lounge with apartment- style amenities. Other amenities not available around-the-clock include a spacious passenger waiting area and tech-enabled conference room. Per the city’s request, there are also classrooms with movable walls, making the spaces suitable for use by airport staff, community members and potentially flight schools. Airside, a wraparound porch with rocking chairs and bench seating offers a relaxed place for guests to watch airplanes. It also connects to a food truck area with full utility hookups. “The lobby and some of the rooms inside are built to be converted later into Because Coming Home Always Matters!
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