PINE BLUFF — The Pine Bluff Regional Airport at Grider Field is gearing up for phase two of a renovation project that began in 2009.
The renovations are the first major upgrades to the facility since the main terminal building was constructed in the 1960s, airport manager Doug Hale said.
Phase two improvements will include renovating offices and the lobby area, as well as installing a new roof and an updated facade, Hale said.
The first phase, completed in May 2009 at a cost of more than $458,000, upgraded the pilot area of the airport, including a conference room, flight-planning area, pilot lounge and pilot rest area.
Public restroom and restaurant improvements were also included in phase one.
Phase two will cost $439,000, Hale said.
The projects are being funded by a match grant from the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics. The city of Pine Bluff kicked in 20 percent.
In a separate project earlier this year, more than $300,000 was spent to seal coat and remark the runway. Funding came from a federal airport improvement grant.
Glenn Bell, director of the Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District in Pine Bluff, said the improvements will go a long way toward “showing people that we have a first-class facility here. When people arrive, they will see the nice amenities and hopefully walk away with a great impression of not only the airport but of Pine Bluff and southeast Arkansas.”
Although the airport hasn’t hosted commercial traffic since the 1980s, corporations including Tyson and Dillard’s have people fly in and out of Grider Field on a regular basis, Hale said.
Smaller planes on crosscountry jaunts swoop in to refuel from time to time.
On average, there are 12 takeoffs and landings at Grider Field each day, Hale said.
“It’s important that we make a good impression with everyone who comes to our facility,” he said. “That’s why we are doing these improvements. We want to make sure we always offer the best we can for our pilots and those who visit the airport.”
Grider Field has a rich history. Named after John Mc-Gavock Grider, a World War I combat pilot who was killed in action over France in 1918, the airfield grew substantially in 1941 when the Pine Bluff School of Aviation opened.
It was a primary training base during World War II, and more than 10,000 pilots received their wings at Grider Field as part of the war effort, according to the airport’s records.
Richard Warriner of Pine Bluff worked at Grider Field as a mechanic during the war and later became a pilot. The 90-year-old still has a plane stored at the airport, though he doesn’t fly without assistance anymore.
He and his aviator friends often hang out at the airport, where a handful of the same planes that were used to train World War II pilots are still kept.
Warriner said he’s happy to see improvements being made at Grider Field.
“This airport means a lot to Pine Bluff and to me,” Warriner said. “These updates are important for the future of this place.”
Standing outside the airport’s vintage 1960s entrance, where a covered awning mimics the tail section of an aircraft, Hale looked back at the building and smiled. He said after this round of improvements is finished next summer, there will be more to tackle as soon as funding becomes available.
It’s a labor of love for Hale, who remembers Grider Field as part of his childhood.
“I grew up here,” he said. “My dad was a pilot, and I always remember coming to the airport as a child. The impression we make on people is very important to me. We are getting ready to put our best face forward. It’s a good feeling.”
Arkansas, Pages 7 on 11/28/2011