Proposed Bend Municipal Heliport Project

The City of Bend has submitted a $3.6 million Connect Oregon III (COIII) grant application to the Oregon
Department of Transportation to fund a proposed heliport complex at the Bend Municipal Airport.
The results of the COIII grant applications decision process are expected to be released
by ODOT after August 2010. 

Taxiway B Project

Construction of Taxiway B will begin in the spring of 2010.  Upon completion, Taxiway B will provide full access to the East side of the airport and safer ground operations for aircraft that now have to cross the runway to access a parallel taxiway. 

The Taxiway B project has been awarded an FAA grant of approximately $2.8 million and the 5% match is expected to come from a new ConnectOregon III program for assisting airports statewide. The match money will be applied for in the spring of 2010 in accordance with ConnectOregon III guidelines.

Airport  Master Plan Update

The Airport Master Plan update process is largely regarded as vital to a successful future for the Bend airport.  This update will result in a planning document that provides guidance and structure to future airport development.  The plan will also address concerns by Deschutes County regarding the current outdated plan.  It is projected that the Master Plan will be completed in spring 2011.

The estimated cost of the update is $180,000, although additional elements not required by the FAA such as zoning, annexation and the neighbors surrounding the airport may increase that cost.  Those portions will not be eligible for funding by the FAA.  Funding for the Master Plan update will come from an annual allocation of FAA AIP funds in the amount of $150,000 with the rest either coming from airport revenues, loans or other as yet unidentified sources. 

Airport Runway Project

Completed in 2009, the construction of the new 5,200 ft. runway was the most extensive construction project ever undertaken at the Bend airport.  Replacing a runway originally built in the 1940's, the new runway addresses the needs of existing users of the airport and offers many safety and operational enhancements.

The City received grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration in the amount of $6.1 million for Phases II and III of the runway relocation project, which is now complete and fully operational.

AWOS Project

In the spring of 2009 the Automated Observation Weather Station (AWOS) was relocated to the north end of the field and enhanced with a direct link to the FAA's National Airspace Data Interchange Network (NADIN) allowing pilots to obtain the Bend weather directly from Air Traffic Control (ATC) and the Flight Service Stations (FSS) while in flight and during the flight planning process. The relocation of the AWOS also allowed Aerofacilities to commence construction of the first of dozens of hangars on their leased properties.  The relocation and weather link was funded from airport revenues