DELAWARE — Plans for a $1.3 million above-ground fuel farm at the Delaware Municipal Airport are on hold after the city was not awarded a key state grant, pushing the project timeline to at least 2027.
The city had applied for a $750,000 grant through the Ohio Department of Transportation to help fund the project, but did not receive funding in this year’s round.
Public Works Operations Manager Shane Harding told the Delaware Airport Commission on April 16 that the project is still a priority, as the airport’s current underground fuel tanks are nearing the end of their lifespan.
“The city recognizes that our underground storage tanks are from the ’90s, so they’re roughly 30 years old and have exceeded their life expectancy,” Harding said.
“Through good care and rehabilitation, we’ve been able to operate with those fuel tanks. But we are at that critical point where those fuel tanks do need to be replaced. We’re really wanting to move forward with fuel tanks that are above ground.”
Harding said above-ground fuel tanks also come with fewer regulations compared to underground systems.
City officials plan to revise the application and seek funding again in 2027.
The project’s details include site development and the addition of a 12,000-gallon above-ground fuel storage tank.
For the moment, the site would not have an Avgas storage tank, but Harding said the area is big enough to accommodate one in the future, along with up to two Jet A fuel tanks.
“[Having these tanks] would allow us to get through times like this, right now, where the fuel pricing is high,” Harding said. “We can maybe buy it before or at a low point and hold on to that fuel for a little bit longer.”
He added that while the project is currently on hold, it is ready to move forward if funding becomes available.
What about electric aircrafts?
Harding and Airport Manager Kevin Piatt also discussed the airport’s position on electric charging infrastructure for emerging aircraft technology.
Harding said the topic came up during the most recent Ohio Aviation Association conference, where officials described electric aircraft as an “up-and-coming” development and encouraged airports with available funding to begin planning for future infrastructure.
However, Harding said Delaware’s airport has more immediate needs — including repaving its parking lot — before investing in charging stations.
He added the Federal Aviation Administration has not fully vetted the use of electric aircraft and is still testing their safety.
“I wouldn’t say it is too early [to think about where electric chargers would go],” Harding said. “But, it is also going to depend on what that aircraft is going to look like when that times comes.
“What they’re telling us is that it’s probably going to be a nine person or under commuter-style aircraft that’s going to work like Uber.”
Harding explained that if someone were to fly from the Columbus area to Delaware in one of these proposed aircrafts, it would be roughly about the same amount of money as an Uber.
According to Harding, these electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, could operate from helipads, designated landing pads or other suitable locations.
Since flying Ubers aren’t ready to roll yet, Harding said he’s optimistic that ODOT will accept the grant application for the fuel farm in 2027.
