Corporate jets at the Decorah Airport?

The Decorah Airport Commission will apply for three grants from the Iowa Department of Transportation that could lead to having larger corporate jets hangared at the airport.

The money, if received, would be used to pay for a corporate hangar, fuel tank improvements, and "t" hangar development.  The airport commission is especially excited about its application for funds for a corporate hangar, which would be larger than existing hangars and could be used for a long term lease with a corporation,  Funding for this project would require $150,000 match of local funds

Airport Commission officials say they have a commitment to move, or base, a corporate plane here that is currently at another airport.

A different proposal--one that probably would be seen as a fallback if the corporate hangar grant isn't approved--calls for additional, smaller and more traditional hangars to satisfy the waiting list for hangar space for planes at the Decorah Airport.

Airport Commission member Brett Willie says the newest hangar at the airport was built in 1998 and other hangers "are not long for this world."  Airport Commission member tout the economic development benefits of having hangars that could house corporate jets.