PHOTOS: Senator Peters Highlights New Safety Equipment to Prevent Flight Cancellations at Cherry Capital Airport
TRAVERSE CITY, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) – along with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regional Administrator Erik Amend, Cherry Capital Airport Director Kevin Klein and Cherry Capital Airport Authority Board Chair Steve Plamondon – participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Instrument Landing System (ILS) at Cherry Capital Airport. The new ILS will help provide pilots with precise navigation guidance when approaching the runway in bad weather or low visibility, preventing hundreds of flight cancellations each year. Peters was instrumental in spurring the FAA to expedite approval of the ILS for Cherry Capital Airport to ensure the airport can continue to provide safe, reliable air service while supporting local tourism and economic development.
“Bad weather and flight cancellations cause serious disruptions to travelers, especially at this time of year,” said Senator Peters. “I’m glad I was able to help expedite the approval of this new safety equipment to ensure that Cherry Capital Airport is as safe and efficient as possible for the nearly 700,000 passengers each year who use the airport.”
“Cherry Capital Airport would like to thank Senator Peters and his outstanding staff for all the assistance with the Instrument Landing System for Runway 10,” said Director Klein. “With Senator Peters’ help we were able to navigate the many layers of policy and regulations to achieve this project for the safety and reliability of air service to Northern Michigan.”
In addition to assisting on the ILS project, Peters fought for additional support for Cherry Capital Airport, as well other provisions to support air service across the state. Peters recently helped secure $5.2 million in federal funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law for the airport to replace five boarding bridges, which will improve its aircraft capabilities and competitiveness. Last year, Peters’ Preventing PFAS Runoff at Airports Act was signed into law, which provides funding to commercial airports to purchase devices needed to test firefighting equipment without discharging toxic PFAS chemicals.
Prior to the ribbon cutting event, Peters toured the Legacy Aviation Learning Center, which will begin providing FAA certified aircraft maintenance technician training to students in 11th and 12th grade starting in January 2024. In partnership with the Northwest Education Services Career Tech Program, Learning Center programs will be made available to students from 20 high schools across the region. It is one of three aircraft maintenance programs in Michigan and the only aircraft maintenance technician program north of Grand Rapids. The program is partially supported by $500,000 in federal funding awarded to Grand Traverse County through the American Rescue Plan, which Peters helped enact.
To download photos from the visit, click here. Images are courtesy of Senator Peters’ office.
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