The Newton City/County Airport will begin the first phase of a project to rebuild its 7,000-foot runway on Monday.
Reconstruction will be completed in three phases.
“The intention is to keep it open,” City of Newton spokeswoman Erin McDaniel said of the runway.
The first phase to remove and replace the south end of the runway is expected to be completed by November.
Phases two and three to reconstruct the middle and northern sections of the runway is scheduled to begin in the spring.
The Federal Aviation Administration is paying for 90 percent of the $6.4 million project. The City of Newton and Harvey County are each contributing 5 percent.
The current concrete runway was built in 1944 and has exceeded its useful life, city officials said.
Dondlinger Construction is the project’s contractor.
Cessna Aircraft has increased the range capability of its midsize jet, the Citation Latitude, from 2,000 nautical miles to 2,500 nautical miles.
The company announced the $14.9 million jet in October at the National Business Aviation Association convention and exhibition.
As the company talked with customers, getting the additional range was imperative, Bob Gibbs, Cessna vice president of international sales in South America, said in a statement.
The Latitude is designed for a crew of two and up to eight passengers. It is scheduled to make its first flight in mid-2014.
Cessna announced the range increase during the Latin American Business Aviation Conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Hawker Beechcraft has launched a Portuguese language website, it announced during the Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, this week.
The website mirrors its English language website and is the third in a series of language translations the company is making.
Websites in Chinese and Spanish were added last year.
The change comes as the company continues to focus on the international markets, it said.
