The Concordia Parish Airport expects to get official word soon that $500,000 will be landing on its runways.

Concordia Parish Airport Authority Board Chairman Carl Sayers said the board applied for a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Louisiana Department of Transportation.

The money will be used to replace the runway lighting system.

“It’s basic maintenance,” Sayers said. “Ninety-five percent of the money is from the feds and 5 percent is from the state. There’s no parish money.”

The existing lighting system is more than 20 years old, Sayers said.

Once new lights are installed, Sayers said the airport hopes to look at the possibility of building T-hangars for aircraft storage.

The parish airport is an unmanned facility. Aircraft can land, refuel and takeoff at any time.

The airport authority receives just over $10,000 annually from the police jury, but has hopes of becoming financially self-supporting.

Sayers said the recent increase in parish industry, like the rubber plant in Vidalia, is good news for the future of the airport.