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By Sally Voth -- svoth@nvdaily.com
FRONT ROYAL -- In its quest to woo more pilots, the Front Royal-Warren County Airport unveiled its newest hangar Wednesday.
The nine-unit T-hangar brings to 55 the number of bays available to plane owners, airport manager and fixed base operator Reggie Cassagnol said.
"I don't think construction could've went any better," Deputy Warren County administrator Robert Childress said.
First Class Contracting of Richmond built the new hangar. The project was estimated at $330,000, but came in at just under $290,000, according to Childress.
"The county funds it, and we hope to recover our costs through the rental of the individual hangars over the years," he said.
The $275 monthly rental fees are expected to bring in $26,400 to the county every year, Childress said.
Airport Commission Chairman Mike South said Wednesday's ribbon cutting was "part and parcel" of this week's Virginia Air Show hosted at the airport.
"There's more and more planes in this stable," South said. "We certainly hope to have some more relocated here."
Planning for two additional pads needs to begin, as well as for the use of an adjacent 32 acres, he said.
"Those 32 acres are only a part of our growth of this airport," South said. "As they said in 'Field of Dreams' -- 'build it and they will come.'"
Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Glenn L. White, also is a member of the Airport Commission, said there is an "ambitious plan" for the facility's expansion.
"We're not going to go breakneck speed expanding here and expanding there," he said. "It's going to be a long, slow slog. We will turn this airport into what we hope will be a magnet for other airplane people, other companies that are not in Warren County yet."
Cassagnol said the hangars have 42-foot openings, bi-fold doors, cement floors and walls from floor to ceiling. He said the new building is already full with tenants.
"The airport's grown 50 percent since 2000," Cassagnol said. "It's all about relationships with customers.
"We want to be the premier airport of mixed traffic operating in the industry."
United Airlines pilot Rock Skowbo is a happy customer. He stores a twin-engine Cessna U3B and a small biplane at the airport. He had previously stored his plane in Front Royal before moving to Martinsburg, W.Va., but returned when he heard about the new hangar.
"They're very nice," Skowbo said of the hangar bays. "I've had a lot of different hangars, and this one's very clean and tidy and well put-together."
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