POTSDAM -- The village is exploring the idea that extending the runway at Potsdam Municipal Airport/Damon Field could be an incentive to businesses to use the airport more and create work in Potsdam.

Initial inquiries to landowners indicate those contacted are willing to consider selling property for the airport extension, according to Village Administrator Greg Thompson.

The advantage of a longer runway is that it would permit larger planes to land and take off there, inviting a larger variety of aircraft and more business travel.

Right now UPS and Air Methods air ambulance service are the major regular commercial users of the airport.

In 2016 the runway was widened from 60 feet to 75 feet, mainly at the request of UPS, which wanted an extra margin of safety so their pilots could land larger planes there with confidence.

The runway is now 3,703 feet long.

Whatever work might be initiated would probably be done under the usual airport financing ratio of 90 percent federal support and five percent each from the state and the village.