INDIANA's Terre Haute public airport, five miles east of the city's commercial centre, is reviewing its business model a decade on to find revenue streams either in the oil business or as a military base for training.

    Terre Haute airport director Dennis Wiss' goal is to be self-supporting, and he remains confident his facility has a lot to offer in competitive lease rates, FAA-staffed control tower and capacity to handle the largest military or civilian aircraft.

   A lack of commercial passenger flights is essential to bring in flight growth, said Garmong Construction Services CEO David Hannum who needs to challenge the community to support it. "If it is completely improbable because we are two miles too close to Indianapolis, we need to know that and make a decision from that," Mr Hannum told the local Tribune Star newspaper.

   On top of US$1 million property tax support it has also been allocated $6 million from the Indiana Department of Resources to support its main runway, terminal and radar centre from potential collapsing coal mines.

(Source:http://www.schednet.com)