Ocala Airport Advisory Board Meeting Summary - October 13, 2026

The Ocala Airport Advisory Board met at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at Ocala City Hall Council Chambers, 110 SE Watula Ave, Ocala, FL. The board approved the September minutes, received an airshow update, voted to keep the airport's "International" designation, accepted an FDOT grant, and reviewed the Airport Director's report. Board members also raised safety concerns about the lack of radar in the tower and bid farewell to a departing member. Roll call was taken; Kevin Reed was absent.

Consent Calendar

• September Meeting Minutes: Approved unanimously by voice vote.

Discussion Items

• Airshow Planning (Unfinished Business): Staff presented updates for the three-day airshow scheduled for April 30, May 1, and May 2 at the airport. Organizers expect 45,000-50,000 attendees over the weekend, about 15,000 per day. Friday will feature an afternoon airshow, a twilight/night airshow with fireworks and a drone show; Saturday and Sunday are the primary airshow days. Performers include a U.S. military demo team (F-22, F-35, or F-16 still being negotiated), a C-17 that staff believed was confirmed, and historic aircraft such as an F-86 Saber. The layout includes vendor/exhibitor and static display areas, a hot ramp, VIP/gold parking, and 180 tailgate spots (12 ft x 40 ft) with entry based on seat-belt capacity. Some hangar access may be affected; the T-Hangar campus should be unaffected, and the emergency gate near Robert's hangar was recommended for hangar access. The promoter is coordinating with Ocala Fire, Ocala Police, food and drink vendors, and the airport restaurant.
• Airport Name Change (New Business): Staff revisited the possibility of renaming the airport. The Airport Director stated there is no FAA requirement to change the "International" designation and noted the name can cause confusion because the airport does not currently have customs. The director expressed support for "Ocala National Airport" but recommended keeping "Ocala International" until a final customs determination is made after Taxiway Charlie is built. Board members discussed the Roberts family's possible customs needs and the distinction between animal/equestrian and passenger customs. One board member argued the confusion is manageable and preferred keeping the current name for now. The board passed a motion to keep Ocala International Airport as the name and requested that staff begin dialogue with Customs and Border Protection before Taxiway Charlie is complete.
• FDOT Amendment #1 Grant - RWY 36 Safety Area (New Business): The board considered FDOT Amendment #1 to grant 457809, a state grant to help offset the city's match for an FAA runway protection zone regrading project on Runway 36. The FDOT grant is $17,102, lowering the city's match to $4,275, with the FAA contributing about $46,000. The contractor agreement will go to City Council the following Tuesday. The board approved the grant unanimously.

Airport Director's Report

• FDOT Pond Relocation: In design.
• MALSR/RPZ RY36 Grading: Contract award expected next Tuesday at City Council.
• Sheriff Hangar: Site work began September 1, 2026; slab pouring expected late next week.
• Terminal Apron Rehabilitation: Complete; project closeout underway; ShellTerra will handle electrical connections.
• Master Plan: Submitted to FAA; the assigned FAA planner is deploying to the Middle East for 2-3 years, likely causing delay.
• A9 Driveway: 100% designed; awaiting stormwater permit from Southwest Florida Water Management District, then will go to bid.
• T-Hangar Campus Rehabilitation & Concrete Pads: Pre-bid meeting held; four contractors attended; out for bid.
• A12 Infrastructure: Negotiating with a developer interested in building hangars.
• Taxiway Charlie Phase I: Design amendment underway; saving about $700,000 by eliminating or relocating stormwater infrastructure.
• ATCT Lighting Controls: In design.
• Airfield Paint Project: Contracts awaiting signatures; expected later fall or early winter; includes Taxi Alpha hold bars, Runway 18/36 centerline, crosswind, and Taxiway Bravo.
• Fuel and Operations: September operations totaled 8,280; Avgas sales were 21,000 gallons; jet fuel was about 69,000 gallons; total fuel sales were 91,000 gallons, above September of last year. Sales were still not at record levels in the post-Iran conflict period but remained well above the same time last year. A fuel price comparison showed ShellTerra Ocala remains in about the same competitive position as the past 3-4 years, with Avgas full-service pricing still in the top third.
• Runway 18/36 Width Issue: Resolved through paperwork; the non-standard width (approximately 149 ft on the north third) will be corrected at the next rehabilitation.

Board Comments

• A board member reported a near conflict while flying in the day before, saying the tower never saw his aircraft and a Cirrus was in the same position; he stated it is dangerous and expressed hope it will not take a fatality to get radar. Another board member agreed that radar should be pursued given the mix of operations, jet traffic, and training traffic.
• The board thanked Thomas Smallen, who attended his last meeting before rolling off the board on November 2, 2026.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 2026 meeting minutes (unanimous).
• Voted to keep the name "Ocala International Airport" (unanimous).
• Approved FDOT Amendment #1 grant 457809 (unanimous).
• Directed staff to begin dialogue with U.S. Customs and Border Protection regarding customs service as Taxiway Charlie progresses.
• Board members urged continued efforts to improve radar coverage or tower visibility.