Renovated Yeager Terminal Opens
September 6, 2012, 04:43 pm
The Yeager Airport General Aviation terminal in West Virginia was recently opened after four months of renovations. Airport executives representatives from the terminal operator cut the ribbon on September 5 officially marking the terminals reopening.
Airport staff hope the new terminal renovations are more inviting for corporate executives and private travelers to encourage them to come back to West Virginia. The terminal is nearly 2,600 square feet and supports private flights that come in and out the airport.
Yeager Airport's director Rick Atkinson said they wanted to create something that looked modern, professional, warm and inviting.
Atkinson added that the $700,000 project was approved by the airport authority, in order to improve the first impression travelers get when coming to West Virginia. The terminal was built in 1996 and had not be revamped since that time.
"This is the gateway to Charleston for all the business and it's very important that the first impression is a good one as we all know," said Scott Miller, owner and president of Executive Air Terminal. "The whole thing has been gutted from ceiling to floor, wall to wall, I mean everything. There is nothing old in this building. It is high tech and new."
The project was designed by Bascon, an architectural firm from Cincinnati that specializes in aviation and the construction was handled by RC General Contractors. Atkinson added that the entire first floor was gutted and 10 to 15 departures and arrivals each day are from people that are not from West Virginia.
"I'd say about 70 percent of traffic is business or corporate, the rest is pleasure," said Shawn Westfall, chief pilot at Executive Air. "You've got a lot of doctors and lawyers who use their aircraft for business but also use it to travel to vacation homes."
The terminal features a new customer service area that uses native West Virginia hardwood and stone throughout the design. It also includes a new customer service counter, leather couches, flat screen televisions and remodeled restrooms that are larger. It also received a new conference room and business center that is surrounded by glass walls.
The renovations were paid for by a portion of the lease payment and a loan from Summit Community Bank. In addition to the renovated terminal, Executive Air workers will refuel, de-ice, house and wash clients planes.
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