For Immediate Release...
November 13, 2009
REP. BUTTERFIELD ANNOUNCES LANDING SYSTEM FUNDING
Congressman G.K. Butterfield came to the N.C. Global TransPark (GTP) on November 15, bringing news of at least $500,000 in funding for the Kinston Regional Jetport and showing his continued interest in the progress of Spirit AeroSystems at the GTP.
U.S. Rep. Butterfield, whose 1st District includes a portion of Lenoir County, announced that the new funding is intended to defray the approximately $3.8 million cost of upgrading the airport’s instrument landing system to Category III.
GTP Executive Director Darlene Waddell told the Free Press of Kinston, “What that means for us is that virtually any type of aircraft will be able to land on our runway in any type of weather.”
Butterfield spokesman Ken Willis said the $500,000 was included in the U.S. House’s transportation and housing appropriations bill for the 2010 federal fiscal year.
Butterfield also was given an in-depth update on Spirit’s AeroSystem’s construction by Rick Davis, Spirit’s site operations director in Kinston. Most of the huge facility’s exterior walls are up and floors and foundations are now going in.
Davis praised Spirit’s North Carolina partners, telling Rep. Butterfield that the N.C. Department of Commerce, the N.C. Department of Transportation and the GTP have been instrumental in Spirit’s current progress.
Waddell commented, “Rep. Butterfield has been very interested in the Spirit project from the beginning and his support continues to be appreciated.”
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