Orange County’s airport expansion is part of a broader, federally funded push to strengthen aviation infrastructure across Virginia; an effort aimed at meeting growing demand for general aviation statewide.

County officials and community members gathered December 2nd to mark the opening of a new T-hangar at the Orange County Airport, a project supported by federal infrastructure dollars and designed to ease long-standing space constraints. All newly constructed units were immediately occupied by aircraft previously on the waitlist. Airport officials confirmed that a waitlist remains, reflecting continued growth in local aviation activity.

The hangar expansion was partially funded through a $21.3 million federal infrastructure package announced in July by U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, supporting improvement projects at 10 airports across Virginia. Orange County Airport received $750,000 through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Infrastructure Grant Program, established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“We are thrilled to announce this funding for Virginia’s airports,” the senators said in a joint statement. “This investment is a major win for Virginia’s travelers and communities and will help to ensure our airports are safer, more efficient, and ready to meet growing demand in the years to come.”
The total cost of the Orange County hangar project was approximately $3.6 million.

Prior to the expansion, the county owned 10 T-hangars and 19 tie-down spaces, with an additional 18 hangars leased to private citizens and businesses through the Tracey Corporation. Approximately 40 aircraft are currently based at the airport.

Located three miles northeast of the Town of Orange along State Route 20, the Orange County Airport is a public-use facility operated under county oversight. Its 3,200-foot runway accommodates turboprop and propeller-driven aircraft weighing up to 12,500 pounds.

The airport also features an Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS III), pilot amenities, and a community conference room available at no cost. The facility is home to SkyDive Orange, a nationally recognized skydiving operation based out of two corporate hangars.

Airport Manager Paul Weber said the newly added hangars are fully leased and priced to remain competitive while allowing the county to recover its investment.

“We don’t want to be too expensive so people don’t come,” Weber said. “We don’t want to be too cheap, so the county takes too long to recover its investment.”

Judi Cooper

Copublisher of the Orange County Voice