By Friday, Aug. 31, information regarding installation of a commercial flight from the Somerset airport will be ready.

Information will be released from a survey that has been taken in the Corbin, London and Somerset areas to help with the decision whether or not to seek a commercial flight.

In February, the Somerset-Pulaski County Development Foundation began to survey 15 counties in the area.

The counties have a population of 384,000.

Martin Shearer, executive director of the foundation, said, “Business and industry leaders throughout the region have asked repeated when air service will be restored” at Somerset.

He added that “A bigger reason is that all of us in the community, from a business and economic standpoint, should be able to make our existing business and travel connections.”

The nearest commercial flight locations are at Lexington to the north and Knoxville, Tenn. to the south.

He also said that if local commercial flight will be out and in at the Lake Cumberland Regional Airport, it could boost the future of economic develop in the region.

There has been no charter service at either the Somerset or London fields for several years.

So, Shearer said, commercial flights will simplify travel efforts to get to and from the Somerset area.

Luke B. Schmidt, who worked up the first survey, said he is in the middle of a more detailed survey sent by e-mail in the past week.

That went to every member of the Somerset, London and Corbin chambers of commerce as well as members of industrial communities in each city.

He added, “This second survey builds on the first and is to provide a bit more information regarding demand for air service in southern Kentucky.”

In the first survey, the Lexington airport is the regular airport for travelers from this region followed by Louisville and Cincinnati.

Survey participants want air service to key business destinations.

The participants recognized that having reliable airline service in Somerset is good. It would eliminate early morning drives to Lexington.

And for air service to be successful, service to a major connecting hub is needed.

Schmidt encouraged business and professional people who have received the current survey to complete it and return it to him no later than Aug. 31.