FRYEBURG — U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King announced Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration has granted $550,000 for improvements to the Fryeburg airport tarmac.

The Eastern Slope Regional Airport will receive $552,986 for reconstruction of its apron, the part of the airport where aircraft are parked, refueled and boarded. 

The airport is owned by the town and leased for a small fee. It is partially funded through neighboring towns and federal grants, Maintenance Director David Cullinan said Thursday. 

In a joint statement, King, an Independent, and Collins, a Republican, said, “In a rural state like Maine, regional airports are important pieces of our transportation system that help strengthen the tourism industry and support jobs across our state. This funding will bolster our transportation infrastructure and help support local economies across Maine.”

The 24-hour, fully automated airport serves a 25-nautical mile radius, roughly the distance a car can travel in half an hour, Cullinan said. That includes towns in southern Oxford and northern Cumberland counties, and seven towns in New Hampshire. 

A construction date has not been set, but Cullinan said once it begins, paving should take about a month. 

About 50 airplanes — a combination of single- and twin-engine aircraft, and commercial jets — rent hangar space at the airport. There were about 30,000 takeoffs and landings at the airport last year, Cullinan said.

The budget of $275,000 includes the cost of operations and one full-time and one part-time employee. 

ccrosby@sunjournal.com