Denton airport master plan update nears completion

An airport master plan gets an update within 10 years of its last one, Adams said. It may also get refreshed if there is a shift in aviation demands at an airport.

In 2024, Denton Enterprise Airport had 221,487 takeoffs and landings, and the demand is projected to grow. In 2044, the number of takeoffs and landings is estimated to grow by 46.28% to 323,995, based on an analysis by Coffman Associates, the firm hired to help update the master plan.

Adams added that the number of based aircraft is also expected to increase over the next 20 years. There were 412 aircraft based at Denton Enterprise Airport in 2024, and a 74.03% growth to 717 based aircraft is projected for 2044, based on Coffman Associates' analysis included in the plan.

Because of the projected increase, airport officials are looking for ways to accommodate larger aircraft and increase the hangar capacity at Denton Enterprise Airport, Adams said. One area where some of the larger aircraft hangars could be located is on the airport’s eastern side, he added.

“What you’ll find in the DFW area is that there is a pretty significant shortage of hangars,” Adams said.

Diving deeper

As part of the master plan update process, details are included for future development on the eastern and western sides of Denton Enterprise Airport.

“We will not do all these things in the next 20 years,” Adams said. “But, it gives us options so that when the market pivots, we have already planned for that possibility and know how to meet that demand.”

On the eastern side of the airport, the main focus is on development and being more efficient with the existing spaces and filling in some undeveloped areas, Adams added. One of those areas will become the 44-hangar development from High Flying Hangars.

Adams said the eastern side of the airport could become a home to some larger hangars because of the proximity to the airport’s longest runway.

The western side of the airport is largely undeveloped. Based on the draft plan, a future cargo holding facility, truck loading and unloading area, and a vertiport to accommodate electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, such as drones or air taxis, could be built in that area.

“We built [the vertiport] into our plan because we know it is coming,” Adams said. “We don’t know exactly how it’ll look, but we know it’s coming, so we’re going to be ready for it.”

Additionally, an extension of Loop 288 will run through the western portion of the airport, which is accounted for in the plan. To capitalize on the road project, officials have earmarked some commercial space near the vertiport, which could bring additional revenue to the airport, Adams said.

Also of note

Within the draft master plan update, there are around $421 million in projects, not all of which will be done, Adams said. Project estimates are based on the 2025 cost, he added.

If the Federal Aviation Administration approves the airport layout plan, the projects detailed within the master plan become eligible for federal grant funds.

Adams said that the federal grants will cover 90% of the costs for the outlined projects.

Looking ahead

Denton City Council will receive a presentation on the final draft of the master plan during the Dec. 2 meeting.

Final approval of the airport layout plan will be required by council members before the plan is submitted to the FAA. Council could consider approval of the airport layout plan later in December or in January, Adams said.

“We are ready to burst out of this state of being a little-known airport in a big way over the next five to 10 years,” Adams said. “This plan is going to give us the pathway to go from an airport that does a really great job that very [few] people know about to being an economic driver that the Denton community can be proud of.”