VALDOSTA — The Valdosta Regional Airport is installing solar panels. 

The energy produced by the panels will go to Georgia Power, Airport Manager Jim Galloway said. Georgia Power will also maintain the panels and the land.  

Galloway said he has received positive feed back from residents who have seen the panels. He said he wants to get the energy production numbers from panels and display the information in the terminal. He had not reached out to Georgia Power about the information by the time of the Airport Authority meeting this week. 

Galloway reported there is about $20,000 in damages from storms last month. He is waiting for the invoices to be able to submit the final total for insurance.

The day prior to the Aug. 10 meeting, Delta had many issues and most of its flights were cancelled. 

“Our flights here ran on time, but I know some of the people were not able to make their connections due to limitations in Atlanta,” Galloway said. “There is  still some domino effects with planes being in the wrong place.”

But he said he thinks the issues will be worked out within the week. 

The delays also affected several international students who were flying in for the fall semester at Valdosta State University. 

The French drain system was approved by the Federal Aviation Association and will be implemented within the next month, Galloway said. 

With the approval and implementation of the drain system, the completion of the apron expansion project will be delayed to the first week of January 2017. 

The Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month in the airport manager’s office. 

Jason Smith is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1256.