Houston-area airport expecting surge of business

HOUSTON

Hooks Airport is making its own improvements to capitalize on that boom. The airport is also aiming to land new international business.

You can still see livestock that symbolize Tomball's rural roots. But just across the street, farmland is now commercial property. The area is seeing another burst of growth. Soon, the Grand Parkway will cut through the area. There's other road construction, and then there's the overhead traffic.

Hooks Airport is reportedly getting some upgrades, including refurbished hangars and upgraded security cameras. And it's openly courting more business, like more corporate clients who'll fly company planes in and out of the airport and military helicopters that will use it to refuel.

In recent months, those who live nearby have noticed a slight increase in aircraft coming and going.

"It doesn't real bother us. It's not that much to fuss about," nearby resident Linda Thakur said. "However, having said that, if it was more frequent, it would start to bother us."

Miramar Lakes is one of several subdivisions near the flight path and mornings have become an issue for homeowner Raymond Jackson. It's the small jets, he says.

"When I'm having coffee you can hear 'em fire up, and the next thing you know they're off," Jackson said. "It's pretty loud, it's pretty loud."

People moved here knowing there was a private airport nearby.

"You hear it but it's not like going out to Intercontinental," neighbor Linda Freeman said.

These neighbors see it as part of the growth. That means more people and more activity on the ground and in the air.

"In anticipation of more traffic coming through," one homeowner told us.

"Which means more money in the area, more jobs," another chimed in.

The airport manager is said to be courting international flights, like charter planes and small private planes from Mexico. That means customs would be added to the facility and it would take some burden off Hobby and Bush Intercontinental airports.
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