Lawton airport looking at roof repair, de-icer projects

Officials at Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport are exploring two projects for their facility.

In addition to making plans for roof repairs on the airport terminal, officials also want to explore the idea of buying de-icer equipment for general aviation aircraft.

The airport’s terminal needs a new roof, said Airport Director Barbara McNally, explaining the ceiling in the newly-completed tenant area already is leaking because of roof damage.

“We can’t have that,” she said, explaining the airport staff will work with the airport’s engineer to develop design plans, then go out for bids on a project expected to range from $250,000 to $300,000.

McNally said the 20-year-old roof suffered significant damage from the hail storm that hit the Lawton area in June 2023, and she’s hoping design plans to be developed by the airport’s engineer can narrow the potential repair cost so the airport can identify funding. She said one possible source may be the $2 million that the City of Lawton designed for Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport in the Capital Improvements Program Extension approved by city voters last summer.

Members of the airport’s governing board want McNally to ramp up the project so repairs can be made.

“We don’t need to wait to repair leak damage,” said Lawton Metropolitan Area Airport Authority Chair David Madigan, noting the project will be analyzed by the authority’s development committee so it can move forward.

Ward 4 Councilman/airport authority member George Gill suggested another project for analysis: a de-icer that can be used by general aviation pilots.

Lawton’s airport doesn’t have one of its own, depending on Fort Sill when its commercial carrier needs such equipment when icy conditions hit while their aircraft are on the ground. But, that equipment can’t be used by private pilots.

“I know people who won’t fly into Lawton in the winter because we have no de-icer,” Gill said, of an investment Lawton could make to keep pilots landing in Lawton, rather than taking their aircraft and money to airports that do have such equipment.

Gill said it’s a decision driven by insurance companies, meaning some pilots won’t use certain airports in the winter — including Lawton — in case overnight precipitation turns into morning ice.

“They can always fly in, but can’t fly out,” Gill said, adding the airport could recover the cost of its investment by user fees.