Story ID: 
Austin opening new airport
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Ron Henriksen, developer of Houston Executive Airport, has purchased Bird’s Nest Airport, a small facility with a 2,700-foot runway 12 miles Northeast of A
Word Count: 150
Ron Henriksen, developer of Houston Executive Airport, has purchased Bird’s Nest Airport, a small facility with a 2,700-foot runway 12 miles Northeast of Austin, Texas. Austin used to have a busy downtown airport–Robert Mueller– but that was closed in favor of the current larger airport outside of town, the former Bergstrom AFB.  Shortly after Mueller was closed, Austin Executive Airport also closed, leaving  local aircraft operators few choices to run their businesses and store their aircraft. “General aviation airports are disappearing around the United States,” said Henriksen. “Hundreds of airplanes were displaced when Austin’s Robert Mueller and Austin Executive Airports were closed. I want to help solve the serious shortage of general aviation facilities in Central Texas.” After “getting the facility in working order,” Henriksen plans to repave and extend the Bird’s Nest runway, pave the ramp, build new hangars and install lighting and a fuel farm.