Last month the City of Dallas used a jackhammer to break ground for a $5.6 million terminal building and control tower at Dallas Executive Airport (RBD), formerly known as Redbird Airport. Construction is expected to be complete next summer.

Dallas Executive, which is owned and operated by the City of Dallas, accommodates general aviation aircraft and is currently the Texas Department of Transportation’s reliever airport of the year. RBD is served by a pair of FBOs, Dallas Aircraft Service and the Jet Center, with Cutter Aviation planning to open soon. The airport has on-site firefighting equipment, and tenant businesses supply aviation services such as aircraft rental, maintenance, charter, pilot supplies, hangar leasing and aircraft interior design and refurbishment. Dallas Executive is located in a foreign trade zone just “10 minutes and one traffic light from downtown Dallas,” according to an airport spokesman.

Since 1999 more than $9 million has been committed to bring in new airport infrastructure and renovate existing facilities at Dallas Executive. Most of that investment, before the city ponied up $5.6 million for the new terminal, has come in the form of private funding from the businesses located at the airport.