After more than 6 months of being closed for repair, the Holdenville Airport runway was opened on Wednesday, May 25, to allow contractors to fly in who will be working on the next project, repairing the taxiways. The major repairs on the runway are complete and taxiways will be completed very soon. The new runway lights will also be installed in the near future. Once these projects are complete the terminal repairs will begin.

The airport has been in complete disarray in recent years. An abandon aircraft along with old oil drums and several items of trash were recently found in the woods next to the runway and surrounding area. According to a report filed at the Hughes County Sheriff’s office, one of the planes was registered to a Joe Cooper. When Mr. Cooper was contacted by a Hughes County Sheriff’s Deputy, he told the deputy that he had sold the plane to someone in Holdenville named James. The only other aircraft registered at Holdenville Airport to anyone by that name are registered to former airport manager, James Welch. It has not been confirmed whether or not the abandoned aircraft or garbage belongs to Welch or not.

Another aircraft and several parts such as wings belonging to Phillip Eckles were also found hidden in the woods. Just last month a travel trailer belonging to Eckles was found parked on the property. A hole had been drilled into the side of the hanger to run a new electrical line to an outdoor outlet. It appeared as though Eckles was using it to run his own personal travel trailer, a utility paid for by the city being used without the city’s permission although that has not been confirmed. Along with the trailer were chemicals, empty chemical containers, and multiple items ranging from scrap airplane parts to equipment all strung around the property, some even out in the woods.

The city inspector, under the direction of the mayor and advice of the city attorney went to remove the items from the airport property which belongs to the Holdenville Industrial Authority. Upon their attempt to do so, they were met by City Councilman Tony Wulf and the Hughes County Sheriff’s Department who informed the city inspector that the city had no authority to remove Eckless personal property from city property without the Eckles’ permission or a warrant. The deputies even threatened to arrest the city inspector for trying to remove the junk from city property. This calls into question the authority of Hughes County to stop the City of Holdenville from maintaining its own property. Eckles is renting hanger space at the airport and is currently faced with a lawsuit filed by the city for entry and detainer, however that has nothing to do with storing his personal property outside of and around the airport property, space he is not paying rent for. A local citizen used this conflict as another chance to try to make the mayor look bad, accusing the mayor on social media of trying to steal Eckles’ personal property, a complete and total fabrication of the actual story. This matter will almost certainly be heard before the district court.

Airport Manager, Arthur Cook along with city officials have been working hard to restore the once great airport to its former glory.

John Gibbs, a former member of the airport committee said, “Our airport is such an asset to our town. It’s pitiful the shape it’s in now. Thanks to Mayor John Massad for getting it back in the shape it should be so it can be an asset to our town.”

Future projects, including fencing, are already being added to the capital improvement plan for the airport.