CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Assessments are underway at the state’s busiest airport about the impacts of severe weather that swept through in August.
Heavy rainfall rolled through Kanawha County several weekends ago, and the West Virginia International Yeager Airport was not exempt. Airport Director and CEO Dominique Ranieri said airport operations were affected by those storms.
Since the airport is elevated on top of a mountain, Ranieri said, that oftentimes makes it a target for lightning. The storms on August 16 brought just that.
“Our hearts go out to everyone that was impacted by floods in West Virginia, here at CRW, we did have, of course, water find its way in,” Ranieri said. “We had overflowing roof drains. All of those things have been addressed, but the bigger impact was actually from the electrical activity from that thunderstorm.”
Ranieri said she understands the frustration from passengers about delays, but safety always takes precedence.
“Sometimes on an arriving aircraft, if there’s been a lightning strike within so many miles of the airport, we’re on what is called a ramp freeze,” Ranieri explained. “Personnel cannot be out on the ramp to connect your jet bridge or unload your bags until those lightning strikes have moved out of our area, and that is for everyone’s safety.”
Ranieri said that the buildings remain “100-percent secure” following the storms but there were impacts of the lightning strikes. She said they’re tallying up the damages to see if it warrants an insurance claim.
“That’s not gentle on our technology here at the airport,” Ranieri said. “We have extensive camera systems and security systems, so we are still assessing updates and fixes that need to be made to some of those systems.”
Airport projects
Yeager Airport Chief Development and Chief Legal Officer Andrew Gunnoe updated the airport board Wednesday about the many ongoing construction projects. He reported that work on the BETA Technologies charging station is moving forward. That station will be used for eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft), designed to take off from the ground straight up, hover in the air, and then land in a vertical position using electric power.
“They are very, very cool,” Gunnoe said. “They kind of look like something out of the Jetsons, but there are actually some Beta (technologies) chargers in West Virginia already, and they’re adding a charger right beside the Marshall flight school. So, that means basically we’re in their network and those planes can land and take off here at CRW.”
All told, Gunnoe said that $24 million in federally funded projects are in progress at the airport, including improvements to the terminal building, the airfield, as well as with General Aviation.
New flooring is going down in the baggage claim area this week. Adding another baggage claim is part of the airport’s upgrade plans to that area.
Administration honor
Gunnoe was also honored by the West Virginia Executive Magazine this year for his work at the airport. Last week, he traveled to Morgantown to be recognized as an attorney in the state that has contributed to the community.
“It was really an honor to be nominated, and then to be chosen, and really share that award with the airport and the airport team,” Gunnoe said.
First time
The new general aviation director at the airport, Dean Selby, attended his first board meeting at CRW on Wednesday. He was hired earlier this month. He comes to Charleston after a stint as executive director at the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport in Sparta, Tennessee. Selby has a versatile 35-year background in managing facilities, property, and construction.
He said it’s been a whirlwind during the first couple of weeks, meeting the people and understanding the needs of the airport. Selby said that he’d been in contact with the leadership team over the past couple of years and when they offered him the job, it made sense to make the move.
“It just kind of became one of those things that just all came together at the same time,” Selby said. “So glad to be here, looking forward to it, looking forward to working with this team and all the people and the community.”