By Pat Culverhouse
For its size, Minden has one of the finest airports in the region and airport manager Molly Fowler gave members of the Minden Lions Club an insight into the operation and upgrades that attract hundreds of flyers monthly.

Fowler said the airport was founded in the early 1950s accommodating planes in two hangars, but a 2015 project expanded that capacity to 30 new hangars housing multiple planes.

“During the construction they learned the terminal building was too close to the runway so construction began on a new building,” she said. “We have two office spaces, a conference room and a lounge area for pilots.”

Minden’s airport features a 5,000 foot runway, a new 5,000 foot taxiway and can accommodate aircraft including larger business jets and small regional jets. To handle the pilots’ needs, the airport features a 10,000 gallon fuel tank and 3,100 gallon fuel truck for jet fuel and aviation gas.

Fowler said she hopes area residents learn more about the airport, and events like the Wings and Wheels Fly-In and Car Show help bring crowds to the facility.

“One of our main goals is to get local people to know about our airport,” she said. “And we want younger persons to know about career opportunities. There is so much more to an airport than landing planes.”

Fowler, who graduated cum laude from Louisiana Tech with a degree in airport management, is working on her MBA and a certified flight instructor license.  She wants to pass along her enthusiasm for Minden’s airport to young people.

“We have aviation days for youngsters to come out and see the planes and maybe talk to pilots,” she said. “We want to arrange field trips from local schools and high schools to come see what we have.”

Fowler also has a vision for something special at the airport.

“I really want to see a restaurant at the airport. We have some land already where we can have one,” she said. “It would be nice for locals to be able to come out, get snacks and watch the planes land.”

Fowler said the airport serves as a business conduit, with potential investors flying in to investigate opportunities. She said there have also been people who are impressed by other aspects of life in Minden.

“I’ve talked with some people who come here and are very complimentary of Minden,” she said. “Some of them said this is the type of place they’d like to visit again.”

Minden’s airport was the site recently of a large-scale military operation when the 101st Airborne Division moved aircraft through in a readiness exercise that began in Kentucky. Fowler said she would like to see more such events.

“We had 16 Chinook helicopters and Apache helicopters landing during the 101st operation to see how far they could move their equipment,” she said.

That operation also proved to be a boon to the airport’s fuel business. “We sold 33,000 gallons of jet fuel in 72 hours,” she said.

Revenue streams at the airport include fuel sales, hangar fees and tie-down fees. And, she added, there is currently a waiting list of about 27 plane owners looking for hangar space.

“We may not be making millions, but the airport is profitable,” she said. “It profits the economy of Minden from the standpoint of visitors and potential businesses.”