Airport Manager Report
Merced Yosemite Regional Airport
Prepared by: Rhett Williams, Airport
Manager
Essential Air Service
DOT Service Extension and Transition to Contour Airlines Contract Extension
DOT Order 2026-1-6
extends Advanced Air
through June 30, 2026.
Jan - Jun 2026
New Carrier Selection
Selection order in
final review stage.
New order will be
issued soon per
DOT.
Initiated May 2025
Zero Service Gap
Department
committed to
ensure no gap in
service during
carrier transition.
DOT Commitment
Community Impact
Maintains critical connectivity
for business, tourism access
to Yosemite, and emergency
medical transport.
Regional
Connectivity
Ensuring continuous commercial air service for Merced community connectivity.
Terminal Project Update
New Terminal Status
Grant Closed
CARES Act Grant closed November 6,
2025. Construction nearing completion.
Opening: Summer 2026
Terminal opening Summer 2026. Federal
shutdowns delaying TSA lease and EAS
orders.
TSA Lease Issue
TSA POC furloughed. Working to find
authorized representative to complete
lease.
Airport Improvements
FAA-Funded Projects
01 New navigational
and
communication
radios. 100% FAA
funded.
Completion:
Summer 2026.
FAA Radio Tower
02 Crack seal and
repaint. Cost:
$1.4M. Plans
100% complete
and submitted to
FAA ACIP.
Taxiway A Project
03 FAA radios and
new Terminal
switching from
PG&E to MID
power supply.
Power Transition
04 Projects shovel-
ready and awaiting
final federal
approvals.
Project Status
Taxiway A Rehabilitation
Project Ready for Procurement
Project Details
Scope: Crack seal coat and
repaint of Taxiway A. Estimated
cost: $1.4 Million with 10%
overage contingency.
Readiness Status
100% Final engineered plans and
completed. Submitted to FAA
ACIP FY2026-2030.
2026 Project Timeline
Coordinated Multi-Project Delivery
Q2 2026
Resolve TSA lease authorization
and finalize terminal readiness
including systems testing.
01 Summer 2026
02 Complete FAA Radio Tower Phase
Three commissioning with new
navigational radios.
Summer 2026
03 Grand opening of new terminal
facility with stakeholder participation
and full services activation.
04 Mid Summer 2026
Transition to new EAS carrier
pending selection. Monitor Taxiway
A funding approval.
Airport Manager Report
Merced Yosemite Regional Airport
Prepared by: Rhett Williams, Airport Manager