By Debby Woodin

dwoodin@joplinglobe.com

Passenger flight service and the new terminal at the Joplin Regional Airport are both getting ready for takeoff.

An open house to show off the $15 million terminal, which replaces one built in 1948, is planned from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7.

City officials have asked U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt to help them dedicate the building in a ceremony planned for 2 p.m. that day. That’s because Blunt, and other state and federal officials, helped the city win grant money to fund 90 percent of the cost of construction of the terminal at 7331 N. Highway 43.

Visitors will find the building decorated with large photographs of a number of memorable moments at Joplin’s airports, including one formerly located on Seventh Street.

“They are poignant because they harken back to our aviation history,” said Brad Belk, director of the Joplin Museum Complex.

One depicts Sen. John F. Kennedy making a campaign speech Oct. 22, 1960, to 15,000 area residents who turned out on the airport tarmac.

Another depicts local children climbing aboard the Joplin Jalopy B-24 bomber on Aug. 11, 1946. The bomber was named after Joplin when the town raised $300,000 in war bonds, Belk said.

There is a series of photographs that shows the first air-mail delivery in Joplin.

In addition to the photo exhibit, the Arizona Wing of the Confederate Air Force will have a B-17 named “Sentimental Journey’’ on display at the airport starting Monday as part of the grand-opening celebration.

Rides in the plane will be available through Thursday at $425 per person. Passengers must be at least 18 years old. To make a reservation, dial (602) 448-9415. Information about the plane can be found on the Web at www.azcaf.org.

Stockam said the new terminal will be finished within budget even though fuel costs to operate the contractor’s heavy equipment went up $1.50 a gallon and the price of steel doubled during construction. Building the terminal started in 2005.

“There has been some challenges to get everything we needed within the budget, but we made adjustments where we could and the contractor worked with us,” Stockam said.

The new terminal will open for business on Monday, Sept. 8, the same day that Great Lakes Aviation will begin offering passenger flights to and from Kansas City.