Lincoln Airport in Nebraska, US will receive a $65m investment that aims to turn it into an air cargo hub with e-commerce expected to be a driving force.
Governor-elect Jim Pillen, the Lincoln Airport Authority (LNK) and Burrell Aviation, a division of The Burrell Group, have announced the development with a ground-breaking ceremony planned to take place during the first quarter of 2023.
The project is based on a long-term lease between Burrell Aviation and LNK not to exceed 50 years, whereby Burrell Aviation will invest $65m and develop the site’s facilities and secure anchor tenants interested in making Lincoln Airport a critical hub for air cargo and other aviation-related activities.
As part of its “Invest, Develop and Operate” strategy Burrell Aviation will oversee the completion of 210,000 sq ft of cargo facilities at the airport.
Burrell Aviation said its development strategy is “founded upon e-commerce’s unprecedented growth as a means of creating an opportunity for regional airports with available facilities and logistical support to capitalise on the flow of goods with improved efficiencies compared to larger, more congested airports”.
It added: “This is particularly true for regional airports close to major population areas. Elements such as an air traffic control tower, ample runway length, and significant airfield capabilities also ensure that the airport is well-positioned for this type of growth.”
Early this year, US Senator Deb Fischer, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, announced a commitment from the National Guard Bureau to use the funding to help cover a portion of the cost of the future runway reconstruction project at LNK to ensure the nearly 13,000-foot runway is not shortened.
Because the airport was a former Air Force base, it has one of the longest runways of any commercial airport in the country, making it attractive for large cargo operations.
Burrell Aviation was formed to meet the surging demand for air cargo, freight and logistics solutions in the continental US, Mexico, and Canada through a public-private partnership model. The company’s core business lines are air cargo, storage (cold and dry), private hangars, aircraft maintenance and repair (MRO), and distribution/transit trucking centres.
“The Lincoln Airport is an ideal location to add to our portfolio,” said Burrell Aviation chief executive John Carver. “It provides a strategic presence in the heartland of America, with an airport that is accessible to other major transportation modes such as interstates and rail lines.”
In October 2022, Burrell Aviation announced it would build a $72m cargo aviation facility at the Doña Ana County Jetport in New Mexico. Other US airports that have recently invested in cargo include Miami and Chennault.
