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NATCHEZ — Work begins Nov. 3 on rehabilitation of the runway at the Natchez-Adams County Airport.

The $4.8 million project is being funded 100 percent by the Federal Aviation Administration with no matching funds required, said Richard Nelson, airport director.

“We are fixing to get into winter time. We will do as much work as we can, then we’ll have to stop and restart the work in the springtime,” he said.

That weather break in the project will cost the airport substantial revenue.

“It’s going to be hard on the airport because our budget is based on fuel sales. We are projecting fuel sales to be bad due to construction,” Nelson said.

Airport officials are in the midst of an air service development study, which could lead eventually lead to a charter or commercial air service based in Natchez offering flights to one or more hub airports.

“The numbers looking promising for charter flights or an air carrier service,” he said. “But everyone needs to remember we are at the early stage of this effort.”

Adams County Board of Supervisors President Angela Hutchins and Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson, along with Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ and Nelson will plan to attend meetings with potential air carriers during the first week of August.

In preparation of that, the three ask Natchez and Adams County business owners and managers and residents who would welcome and air carrier or charter service to provide flights out of and into the Natchez airport to express that fact in letters, which they can hand-deliver to the potential air carriers during their meetings in November.

“We are going to be approaching airlines and we will have a much better chance of success with letters that express a desire for air service here,” Gibson said.

“We would like letters from anyone who likes to fly and would like to see and air carrier here,” Hutchins said.

Please mail, bring or email your letters on company letterhead or include your names, address and other contact information to The Natchez Democrat, in care of Jan Griffey, 503 N. Canal St., Natchez, MS 39120 or email to jan.griffey@natchezdemocrat.com. Letters must be received by the end of the day on Monday, Oct. 25.