taos regional airport may see significant upgrade

State lawmakers have given their approval to more than $5.4 million in funding for the Taos Regional Airport.

That funding is part of an overall $12.8 million given a green light by members of the New Mexico State Legislature for Taos County for a variety of infrastructure projects.

The money for the airport, if finally approved by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, would help pay for the construction of a new air terminal and hangar at the airport.

Airport officials have maintained that the current hangar isn’t large enough to handle jets.

The airport, located at 24662 US Route 62 and owned by the Town of Taos, inaugurated chartered jet flights to and from California and Texas two years ago.

The airport unveiled a second crosswinds runway for its traffic in the summer of 2017. The following year the airport began a service called Air Taos, offering direct charter flights to and from Austin and Dallas.
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Heavily used by skiers on their way to the Taos Ski Valley, the Taos airport, located 8 miles to the north of downtown Taos, is a public use airport.

By Garry Boulard

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