Penn Yan Airport receives $298K grant

    PENN YAN—The Penn Yan Airport in Yates County will receive $298,205 in U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) funds for airport facility upgrades.
    U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer made the announcement, Tuesday, June 14.  Specifically, the grant will allow Penn Yan Airport to create a new helipad, which will replace a 12-year-old helipad that is no longer suited for the growing number of medical flights in and out of the airport. This new helipad will allow patients who need medical care to be flown to Rochester and other regional hospitals in the safest way possible.
    The funding for Penn Yan Airport is part of the Airport Improvement Program, administered by DOT’s Federal Aviation Administration. The Airport Improvement Program provides grants to public agencies for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS).
    “With this funding, the airport can make renovations that will ensure passenger safety and the smooth operation of the facility,” said Schumer.
    The Penn Yan airport serves the village and the county, and is owned by Yates.  The airport is also shared by the Penn Yan Flying Club, founded in 1939.