Oakridge leaders say their city’s airport needs a new runway and advanced air mobility to better detect and suppress wildfires. They’re backing an effort to upgrade the airstrip and create a hub for autonomous aircraft operations.
Oakridge Mayor Bryan Cutchen co-signed a letter of support to accompany a grant application to the U.S. Economic Development Administration. He said airport investments like the drone program would help protect property and natural resources and also bring well-paying jobs to the community.
“I’m envisioning perhaps even having a schoolhouse that would do some training, which might help the kids coming out of high school in Oakridge," said Cutchen. "Maybe they could just walk over and get some training on how to either be technicians on these things or to pilot them.”
The Oakridge airport, located on a butte off Highway 58, is operated by the Oregon Department of Aviation, which authored the $3.2 million grant proposal.
