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Tennessee Cleans Up From Floods

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Airports are vulnerable to flooding due to their common location in low-lying areas near rivers.
  • Recent devastating floods in the U.S. midsection, particularly in Nashville, caused widespread damage to infrastructure.
  • Cornelia Fort Airpark suffered severe damage, with floodwaters rising 13 feet above flood stage and totaling nearly all 30 based aircraft.
  • The airpark operator faces a difficult recovery from the extensive losses but is committed to rebuilding.
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Airports regularly lie low in the terrain, often nearby rivers. Recent devastating floods in the nation’s midsection left residents and businesses scrambling to clean up — or start to rebuild. Downtown Nashville was largely under water as heavy rains pummeled the region. One airport, Cornelia Fort Airpark, was particularly hard hit. Located near the Cumberland River in Tennessee, the airport suffered damage to virtually all of the 30 aircraft based there, many totaled by the flood waters that rose 13 feet above flood stage. In a report published on AOPA’s website, airport operator Bill Colbert, Jr. said, “It’s a loss that’s going to be hard to recover from, but we’re gonna try.”

Mark Phelps

Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.

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