News - Stephenville International Airport

While the Stephenville Airport Corporation continues to wait on word of whether or not they will get interim financing from the provincial government, operations continue.

Mayor Tom O’Brien indicated about a month ago a lot of the money provided to the airport was being used up and the town wouldn’t be able to provide more.

Shawn Tilley, corporation chairman, said it’s hard to say how much longer they can operate. Right now the airport is not in a desperate situation and still has not used up the $200,000 provided by the town of Stephenville.

There has been a short-term reprieve however.

Larry Smith, airport manager, said several large diverted cargo jets fueling up at the airport late last week helped out and has made it easier for them. He said they are stocked up on all the fuel they can store and if they get some more diversions it will help them.

“The heavies really help out as they bring in a large amount of revenue in fuel and landing fees,” Tilley said. “We’re not in dire circumstances at this time.”

Meanwhile, responding to an allegation there was a lot of fuel in the ground in the area of the airfield, Smith said there was a remediation program carried out in the summer of 2008 in a clean-up program in front of the fire hall, which took care of a problem there.

Smith said to his knowledge the clean-up that was done at the airport was acceptable to Transport Canada and the environmental inspectors.