Metcalf Field receives a new name

5/11/2010
BLADE STAFF

Metcalf Field is now Toledo Executive Airport.

Toledo City Council approved the name change at its meeting Tuesday.

But don't look for a new sign to go up right away at the city-owned airport in Lake Township. The change won't become official until the Federal Aviation Administration registers the new name in its records, a process that is expected to take a couple of months, according to Eric Barnum, whose company, Crow Executive Air, Inc., is the fixed base operator at the airport.

In aviation, "executive" has become a common term to identify airports used primarily by corporate and private aircraft. Officials believe the new name better reflects this.

In other business, finance committee chairman George Sarantou announced that Standard and Poor's had maintained Toledo's credit rating at A, although with a negative outlook, which means there is a good chance of a downgrade.

Moody's Investors Service now rates the city A2 with a stable outlook, Mr. Sarantou said. This represents a downgrade from last year's A1 rating with negative outlook.

But the fact that Standard and Poor's didn't downgrade the city is encouraging, he said, as is the stable outlook from Moody's.