SOUTH BEND — The general aviation portion of the new federal customs facility at South Bend International Airport is open for business, but it could be weeks or even months before the $11 million facility is ready for commercial traffic.
Construction of the 38,600-square-foot facility is complete, but federal officials have yet to fully sign off on it, Mike Daigle, airport executive director, said last week.
At issue is the disposal of “regulated garbage,” Daigle said, which includes animal products, fruits and vegetables, and processed products.
“The USDA regulated garbage approvals are in place for corporate and general aviation aircraft, so that’s all set to go,” Daigle said, but “we still have a few speed bumps we have to get through” on the commercial side.
“The issue really is pretty easy. We have a process that’s in place to handle the regulated garbage,” he said. “Now it’s just taking it from the scope of a seven- to eight-passenger airplane to a 150-passenger airplane and making sure all the things work as advertised.”
Daigle said the facility has yet to service any private or corporate aircraft since opening June 5 with one U.S. Customs and Border Security officer.