The Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport plans to open at 12 noon on Friday, July 22nd  completing a two week closure to resurface the runway.  The first landing will be made by local business man and pilot, Larry Baum, founder of the Computing Center and long-time member of the Air Services Board. Baum will be piloting  a 1979 Aerostar 601P/600P that he and fellow pilot Mike Newman have owned together since 1996. The plane is a six-passenger pressurized twin-engine aircraft, which is powered by two 350hp turbocharged air-cooled engines.

Airport officials say County Airport operations, Suit-Kote, and C&S Engineering collaborated with three airlines, Taughannock Aviation, East Hill Flying Club, the airport tower, and all airport tenants to complete the project a day ahead of schedule.

"Without the tremendous collaboration of the airport stakeholders, this project would not have been successful," commented Airport manager Mike Hall.  "I want to recognize the Suit-Kote employees who worked with 350 degree asphalt in the hot sun to complete the work and C&S Engineering who designed and supervised the project."

Scheduled air service will resume with the arrival of a United Airlines flight Saturday morning at 9:17am.

Along with the exciting first flight on the newly repaved runway, Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport will hold a client appreciation week July 25th-July 31st to thank the community that travels in and out of the Airport. The week will kick off with a public ribbon cutting ceremony at Monday, July 25th at 9am in the terminal.

"We recognize the importance of giving back to the people that ensure our success. The client appreciation week will aim to strengthen relationships with the local community and to celebrate our passengers." said Hall.

Community members and people traveling through the airport can expect to receive free food, and have the chance to win a variety of gifts from local businesses.

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