Bunkie mayor hopes for assistance to rebuild, improve small airport

A small airport is more than just a "toy box" where wealthy individuals store their planes. It is also a key element in any successful economic development plan.

Bunkie Municipal Airport took a beating in the recent thunderstorm and tornado. Hopefully the private plane owners' insurance will have them back in the air soon.

Replacing the hangars may take a little longer.

The town of Bunkie owns the airport property, but the hangars were built by the plane owners renting the site for either their personal or business use.

Mayor Bruce Coulon said there are more businesses using the airport than one might think.

"The airport serves a good purpose and is used," Coulon said. "It's not just sitting there."

Earlier this year an oil company was conducting seismictests with a helicopter that used the Bunkie Airport as its base of operations. There is at least one crop duster that flies out of the airport.

State Rep. Daryl Deshotel said the airport plays an important role in future plans for the Industrial Park, recently purchased by Cleco from the city.

The airport itself is still operational and the runways were not damaged. At least two hangars sheltering private planes survived the storm.

Coulon hopes damage to the hangars will be repaired soon so all the property can be put back to full use.

"This airport is a great asset to the community," Coulon continued. "This damage hurts. There is a reason for those planes to be there. I hope the owners will keep their planes at this airport.

Haas Investment entered into a 99-year lease with the city in July 1964 for the 36-acre tract to be used as an airport. If for some reason the airport were unable to rebuild and resume operations, Coulon said Haas Investment could revoke the lease. He does not think that will happen.

The airport has a master plan that includes building its own hangars to be rented to pilots. Funding for that proposal is probably at least five years away, if not more, themayor said.

Coulon said the airport can't afford to wait five years before it has even the possibility of funds for significant improvements. He has written to U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, asking for federal assistance to help small, rural airports like Bunkie Municipal. He has also sought assistance from Deshotel and state Sen. Heather Cloud to find state funds to help the airport both recover from the disaster and to make improvements that will make it an even stronger force for economic development.

Cloud and Deshotel met with Coulon at the airport last Friday. City officials will meet with the plane owners in the near future to further discuss the future of the airport and to get the area cleaned up as soon as possible so the recovery effort can begin.