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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Up until 1978, when the Airline Deregulation Act was passed, Ottumwa Industrial Airport qualified for Essential Air Service, which meant it was given a subsidy from the government to help continue functioning.

However, after the law was passed, Ottumwa lost its subsidy because another airport -- in Omaha -- was one-tenth of a mile within the range determined by the government.

Three communities in Iowa currently have Essential Air Service contracts -- Burlington, Mason City and Fort Dodge. Burlington's current contract expires January 31, but recently announced a three year extension.

Policies continue to change since the passing of the Deregulation Act, and now it is determined that a small community can have Essential Air Service if one has to travel more than 175 miles to the nearest airport. That means Ottumwa can get EAS designation back, but it is a long process that requires both an expansion of the airport and community support.

"This would be more of a long-term project, I think we need to plan for it," said Joe Helfenberger, Ottumwa City Administrator. "We already have some facilities able to handle it out at the airport, but as the airport grows in size and number of customers, I think we'll be in a better position to be able to successfully achieve commercial air service in the future."

EAS dictates that a given airport must have 3,000 to 4,000 boardings and deplanings a year, so the first order of business in Ottumwa is to expand the airport's runway and attract businesses who ship cargo to do business with the airport. That increase in business and flights will qualify the airport for EAS and will make retaining the service easer in the long run.