HAZARD – The Wendell Ford Regional Airport is on its way to a hefty upgrade as U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers was in town last week to announce a round of funding for the project.

Rogers told a crowd at the airport Thursday that $500,000 has been set aside in the U.S. House of Representatives for the installation of an instrument landing system (ILS). The ILS will allow for precise guidance of aircraft approaching or landing at the airport in the event of severe weather or other reduced visibility situations through a system of radio signals and lights.

Rogers noted that upgrades such as the ILS will present an opportunity for economic improvement to the area, but it will also make a busy airport safer. “Last year you assisted more than 10,000 operations here, an average of 27 a day,” he said of the airport’s staff. “We want to make sure that safety is a priority.”

With the completion of the project, which will come with a price tag of approximately $1.2 million, Rogers said the Wendell Ford airport will join just a few in Kentucky with the ILS capability.

Currently, the airport in Perry County has a non-precision approach, meaning if an aircraft is flying into bad weather near Hazard there is a certain altitude under which a pilot can not fly. The installation of an ILS will solve that problem, said Stephen Barker, chairman of the airport board.

“There have been several situations where folks have been trying to get to Hazard, but can’t get into Hazard. They have to divert back to Lexington because Lexington has a full ILS system,” said Barker.

An added bonus for the local area will be the possibility of attracting commercial services to the airport as well, and an ILS will go a long way in allowing local officials to begin negotiations along those lines.

“Without an ILS, basically you can not even talk to Fed Ex, UPS, any kind of commercial service,” he added. “All of those folks have to have a functioning ILS system.”

With the implementation of the ILS, and along with more than $100,000 in improvements for aircraft parking recently approved, Rogers added that the Perry County airport is in line for the “big leagues,” but there’s still some work to be done to get there.

“We’ve got a good start really for improvements for the airport, of course there’s still work that needs to be done,” he said.

“I look forward to the time we are able to boast in our region more tourists that are leaving aircraft, and I think that could be a big part of our future,” he continued.

Rogers said the initial funding will still have to be approved by the Senate, but he’s “quite sure it will get done.”

And with an estimated total price tag of $1.2 million, Barker noted that he is confident with the allocation of the initial $500,000 the rest of the funds should be set aside in the future to complete the project.

“Practically speaking, once you get this initial grant, then it makes sense to continue [funding],” he said.

Barker said depending on the funds available, officials hope to have the system completed and installed within the next two or three years.