Fourth annual Bayou Lafourche Cleanup set for Saturday
March 12, 2015
Xavier Keion Richard
March 19, 2015
In the midst of what officials say is major growth, the South Lafourche Leonard Miller Jr. Airport now has a new logo.
It is displayed on a new entryway sign visible from La. 308 at the front of Airport Road in Galliano. The logo features the airport’s identifier code, GAO, as well as stylized arrows streaking above it through blue, yellow, green and gray blocks – the colors of the Port Fourchon logo.
The new look, officials said, was designed to give greater prominence to the fastest-growing airport in the state.
The airport has increased its take-offs and landings – also known as flight operations – from 550 in 2001 to 23,879 in 2014. The vast majority of flight operations service the oil and gas industry.
About $30 million in infrastructure has been brought into the airport during that timeframe, according to Airport Manager Joe Wheeler. He added that by this time next year he’s expecting the airport to handle between 50,000 and 60,000 flights. The airport exceeded the 3,000 flights per month for the first time ever in February, with better than 3,100. The previous monthly high was about 2,600, according to Wheeler.
“The airport is growing. We’ve got to bring attention to it. As we continue to grow it, the more tenants we put in there, the more local jobs are provided for the local area by the local airport. It’s all about growing the economy and getting more jobs in here,” Wheeler said.
Greater Lafourche Port Commission Executive Director Chett Chiasson stated in a release that the new logo – designed by the W.L. Gaiennie Company – aims to highlight the growth taking place at the airport by creating a brand identity that clearly belongs in the Port Fourchon family, but also stands on its own. The airport has been owned by the greater Lafourche Port Commission since 2001.
“The South Lafourche Airport is a critical link in the transportation chain for Port Fourchon and beyond, and we feel that the new logo shows that very well,” Chiasson’s statement reads.
The airport complex includes a 1,200 acre industrial park which includes a new terminal building, hangars and strengthened runways. Additionally, a $30 million Chevron Gulf of Mexico Aviation Logistics Center is in the works and is expected to be completely operational by 2016.
That, also, is expected to double the airport’s flight operations.
“They’re going to base the majority of their helicopter operations out of our airport so anybody who basically works for a Chevron contract, possibly even for Chevron, they will come to our airport and fly out to go to work. It brings them all coming in and going out in one spot,” Wheeler explained.
The airport manager said many oil companies are beginning to fly helicopters in and out of airports – as opposed to helipads – due to added safety requirements.
Wheeler also mentioned the airport in Galliano being the southernmost one in the state, cheap land for leases compared to other airports and its own three-foot levee surrounding the premises – in addition to the 16-foot levee for the entire area provided by the South Lafourche Levee District – as other reasons for the airport’s massive expansion.
“If water gets over the levee it’s going to have to be at least three foot above sea level to get over my levee too, and basically if my airport floods, if water tops my levee, we’ve all got a bigger problem than the airport getting flooded,” Wheeler said.
Despite the current low price of oil at about $50 per barrel resulting in layoffs and lower profit margins for oil and gas companies, Wheeler said he has seen no slowdown for the airport and instead continues to see increases.
The new South Lafourche Leonard Miller Jr. Airport logo features the airport’s identifier code, GAO, as well as a stylized arrows streaking above it through blue, yellow, green and gray blocks – the colors of the Port Fourchon logo.
