Air show to be part of Runway 18/36 dedication

The city of Concordia and the Airport Advisory Board will host a dedication to the new Runway 18/36 at Blosser Municipal Airport and an airshow in conjunction with Fall Fest on September 25.
In May of 2020, the city contracted Vogts-Parga Construction, LLC, Newton, for the construction of Runway 18/36, the conversion of Runway 17/35 to a parallel taxiway and associated work at the airport at a cost of $5,205,308.66.
Runway 18/36 is now open and work will be completed on the taxiway later this fall.
“The vision for a new, longer and wider runway began nearly a decade ago with persistent work by the Airport Advisory Board, city staff and our airport planning consultant. Their diligence allowed us to seize a grant opportunity and bring Runway 18/36 to fruition,” Concordia city manager Amy Lange said. “With the advocacy of our local, state and federal elected officials, support and guidance from KDOT Aviation and our regional FAA office, dedicated work at Benesch Engineering, Vogts-Parga Construction and city staff, we have another successful improvement at Blosser Municipal Airport. That is what teamwork looks like in action.”
Funding for the project came from a $6,950,000 grant awarded through the supplemental appropriation to the Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program grant for runway/taxiway construction at the airport, as authorized by Congress through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018.
The grant is a 100 percent reimbursement grant. There is no local match required. The city is responsible for paying for overages.
The runway/taxiway construction project addresses several items listed in the city's Airport Capital Improvement Plan and 2013 Master Plan and also provided for continued economic development and safety improvements at the airport by moving the building restriction line further east and also providing a parallel taxiway.
The increased length and width of the runway will support larger aircraft used in modern business operations and a fixed-wing ambulance service that is critical for rural Kansas.
The Airport Advisory Board put together the air show as part of the celebration.
“It has been 26 years since the last air show in Concordia and 91 years since the first air show,” Steve Richard, Airport Advisory Board chairman, said. “The 1930 air show was the dedication of Blosser Field and was a two-day event that included air races, aerobatics and airplane rides. We hope our air show can live up to the standards of Charley Blosser. We won't have any air races, but we have great aerobatic performers with helicopter rides.
Scheduled to perform during the free air show, that will begin at 1 p.m., include Brian Correll in his Pitts Special bi-wing, Lee Crouch in his T-6 Texan, Bob Richards in his Pitts Special and Justin Lewis flying his BD-5 Microjet.
Correll will cut the ribbon on the new runway while flying upside down.
The air show will also include static displays that include an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, LifeSave helicopter, Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter and Children's Mercy Medevac King Air.
There will be food vendors.
Gates will open for the air show at 11 a.m. Those planning to attend are encouraged to show up early because there is construction at the entrance of the airport that will slow the flow of traffic.