2 min read
Elon Musk has decided to build his first-ever private airport in Austin, Texas. Since the headquarters of most of his companies, i.e. Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company, are in Texas, and he spends most of his time there, it’s only logical to build an airport for easy travelling.
Most of Musk’s interest lately is invested in his electric car manufacturing company Tesla. And last year, in December, the company officially moved its headquarters from California, Silicon Valley, to Austin, Texas. Since the base moved, Musk has spent most of his time in Texas.
Although Musk spends most of his time in Texas, he has to move a lot. He has to attend many launches and exhibitions across America and other countries. And the local airports are a headache even for him and take up much of his time. He praised that the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is a 10-minute ride from Tesla’s office, but it seems like the distance is not the only problem he has from local airports. Elon Musk is famous for being a very time efficient and cares about cashing every moment of his day. In many interviews, he has mentioned that he often sleeps in his factories to save time and start working as soon as he wakes up.
It is not official yet, but the airport is most certainly built in the Giga Texas region, where Musk’s company Tesla owns thousands of acres of land where they can quickly create an airport. The scope of the airport is also uncertain as of yet, but since Musk will use it only for personal and company use, it would be much smaller than the local airports.
Around 500-acre runaway is required for the standard plane to land and take off. Including 1000-acre for placing the aircraft and a common checkout point, 2000-acres would be necessary for the airport.
Elon Musk’s money and reputation can not help him avoid the standard legal requirements for making an airport. He would need an approval letter from FAA. The airport also needs to pass the environmental safety measures by the agency standards. But these requirements will not stop the world’s richest man from building an airport for himself, but the process could take much longer due to the ongoing beef between Musk and American president Joe Biden.
