With its newly built hangar, Waseca Municipal Airport in south central Minnesota is securing its role as a vital aviation resource for the region.
Late 2024 saw completion of a four-unit steel hangar that can adapt to different aircraft sizes and configurations. Engineering consulting firm TKDA, which has worked with the City of Waseca for 15 years, helped the airport plan and deliver the project—which received the 2024 Project of the Year award in the Intermediate Small GA Airport category from the Minnesota Council of Airports.
Airport manager Brent Langer says the hangar is fully occupied with seven aircraft, including one that is new to the airport. “We have almost completely backfilled the old hangar spots with new tenants coming from other airports as well,” he says. The airport has three open T-hangar spots available.
“The tenants are all happily enjoying their improved facilities for their aircraft,” says John Peterson, project manager and civil engineer with TKDA. Peterson says the improved facilities are sealed from the elements and able to be heated.
Construction took place between April and October 2024. Funding for the $1.48M project was a significant challenge, Peterson says. Waseca and TKDA assembled a funding package that relied heavily on federal and state support—which significantly reduced the financial burden on the airport and the community. “With help from the FAA’s AIP entitlements and AIG (IIJA) funding, additional funding levels not previously available to the airport allowed for the project to proceed,” Peterson says, offering advice from the experience for others: “Plan ahead, and be creative with funding to stretch the available dollars to the maximum extent.”
In addition to the newly built hangar, the airport is home to an arrival/departure building, a fixed-base operator (FBO) hangar, a city-owned box hangar, five T-hangars, and one private box hangar. In operation at its current location since 1974, the airport currently houses 28 based aircraft and supports just over 17,000 annual operations. These flights include business travel, air medical, emergency life support missions, and agricultural spraying.
Langer Aviation, which moved to Waseca from Owatonna three years ago, offers aircraft maintenance, avgas sales, and airport management. “Currently we don't offer any instruction or rental aircraft, but there is a possibility that service will be available soon,” Langer says.
