Briana Pace | Southern Indiana Business Report
HUNTINGBURG, Ind. — After 15 years of planning, the Frosty Jones Terminal Building is open at the Huntingburg Regional Airport.
Over 150 community members gathered to celebrate the $7.2 million project with a ribbon cutting ceremony and remarks from Gov. Mike Braun, local officials and Forrest “Frosty” Jones’s grandson.
“Very great testament to Frosty, who less than a century ago, knew that there was something to being a part of aviation,” Braun said, “and I think he would be astounded in terms of what we’ve got here and what we’ve done today.”
Gov. Mike Braun addresses the crowd at the ribbon cutting for the Frosty Jones Terminal Building at Huntingburg Regional Airport on Aug. 31, 2026. Braun also attended the building’s groundbreaking in March 2025. Photo by Briana Pace
Replacing an old terminal built in the 1960s, the Frosty Jones Terminal Building was named after the Huntingburg Airport founder, Frosty Jones. According to his grandson, Forrest “Craig” Sloane; who travelled from Atlanta for the occasion, Frosty also established two schools in Florida during 1939, where he trained American and British aviators.
A sign for the Frosty Jones Terminal Building is seen Aug. 31, 2026, at Huntingburg Regional Airport. The project was in the works for 15 years. Photo by Briana Pace
He then went onto serve during World War II, flying Douglas DC-3s between Florida and Africa on supply routes, during which he was shot at by German adversaries many times.
Inside the terminal is a display case filled with model planes Frosty liked, his old flight logbooks, awards, newspaper clippings, photos and more.
“It is a source of pride and humbleness to be able to share some of this memorabilia on display here in the terminal dedicated in his memory,” Sloane said. “On behalf of my family and myself, I want to express my profound appreciation for bestowing this honor on my grandfather, Frosty Jones.”
A plaque naming Frosty Jones “Mr. Aviation” is seen Aug. 31, 2026 at Huntingburg Regional Airport. Jones founded Huntingburg Regional Airport in 1938. Photo by Briana Pace
In addition to honoring Frosty, the terminal will support many local businesses and their global supply chains, including Kimball Solutions, OFS Brands, Jasper Engines & Transmissions, Dubois Wood, MasterBrand Cabinets and Best Home Furnishings.
An old logbook of Frosty Jones’s is seen Aug. 31, 2026, at Huntingburg Regional Airport. During World War II, Jones flew supply routes between Florida and Africa, on which he was shot at by German enemies. Photo by Briana Pace
The space will also have a major impact on education. Patoka Valley Career and Technical Education Cooperative will use the facility for classrooms and meeting spaces, “directly impacting over 175 high school aviation students across nine school corporations and five counties,” according to the terminal press release.
“We have 28 students that are here as part of the Patoka Valley Cooperative Program that are getting college credits towards various parts of their education. So, they’re going to be able to move into their colleges and be way ahead,” Dubois County Airport Authority Board President Ken Schnaus said. “And that’s not just pilots, it’s mechanics, it’s terminal workers, it’s weather people, and so on.”
Braun emphasized the positive long-term impacts the new terminal will have on the region by being a place of learning for aviation students.
A Civil Air Patrol student presents the colors during the Frosty Jones Terminal Building ribbon cutting ceremony Aug. 31, 2026, at Huntingburg Regional Airport. The new terminal will provide more opportunities to many aviation students. Photo by Briana Pace
The new terminal features furniture donated by local businesses plus a $100,000 building pad, a $200,000 parking lot, a $1.2 million entrance drive and a $5 million building structure. Local contractors played a major role in the endeavor, with Dubois County businesses responsible for 52% of project contracts and regional companies for 48%.
“Thank you, could not do it without that regional support. Local contractors makes a difference, ladies and gentlemen,” Huntingburg Regional Airport Manager Travis McQueen said. “If you want to get something done at your house, you want to find a local contractor. You know the quality will be there.”
A large portion of the new terminal building was funded by local and regional organizations, plus private donors. The Dubois County Airport Authority invested $1.6 million, the Dubois County Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) Funding loaned $1 million and the Dubois County Council offered $500,000. Regional and private donations totaled $150,000.
The Frosty Jones Terminal Building is seen Aug. 31, 2026, at Huntingburg Regional Airport. The building was largely built by Dubois County contractors. Photo by Briana Pace
“We have a facility here in Dubois County now that is a beautiful facility. We hope it’s very welcoming. When people come in, whether they’re business people or tourists, when they see this building, we hope they say, ‘Hey, this is somewhere we either want to live or we want to do business,’” Schnaus said. “So hopefully, this helps get that done.”
