West Virginia International Yeager Airport (KCRW), the state’s only international gateway, will inaugurate its new general aviation U.S. Customs facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow. The $4 million facility was funded equally between the airport and the state infrastructure fund. Construction of the 5,000-sq-ft structure, which is connected to the airport-operated Capital Jet Center FBO, took 14 months due to material supply disruptions during the pandemic.

It will normally be staffed from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays but can also provide after-hours clearance by appointment. Previously, customs clearance at the airport was conducted by appointment only.

As a gateway, Yeager, which has a 6,700 runway, offers no air traffic congestion or taxiway traffic, and there is expected to be little to no wait for international clearance. “We expect several hundred international flights to clear customs at KCRW each year,” said airport director and CEO Nick Keller. “In addition, flights that may not be destined for our state now have the option to stop at KCRW to quickly and conveniently clear customs and use the services of our FBO.”