NEW WINDSOR – The number of passengers using Stewart Airport through June was down over 11 percent from this time last year, but airport officials are hopeful they will pick up in the second half of the year.
Airport Economic Development Director Michael Torelli told the Stewart Airport Commission on Tuesday that on the plus side, cargo tonnage is up by over eight percent from last year.
That is in part due to heavy loads being transported by a Russian-made
Antonov cargo plane that comes in once a month. The latest cargo included
helicopters, said Torelli.
Sikorsky helicopters were transported through Stewart, some for maintenance. Those that were shipped most recently were headed for China for air-sea rescue operations. The Antonov can fit four to six helicopters at one given time.
Stewart also has daily cargo flights from FedEx and UPS.
Torelli said the airport officials are predicting a year-end total of 300,000 passengers using Stewart.
