Does Vision still have eyes on Merced County?

The prospects of commercial passenger service at Castle Airport, at least with Vision Airlines, seem dimmer by the day.

The county announced in May that it would have Vision began flights from Castle by July. That date came and passed. Now there's silence.

Read this. It doesn't bode well for the county or the economic development of Castle Commerce Center. Vision also never called me back to find out about their plans for Merced County.

The county spokesman said last week that Vision hadn't given any indication it wouldn't come. However, there hasn't been much clamor to set another date for when planes would take off from the county's ginormous runway.

While the on-going airport battle between Merced and the county can be amusing at times, I do see the importance of maintaining a vibrant airport.

Merced has the benefit of the Federal Aviation Administration's grant that subsidizes an airline. The county doesn't, making it all that more difficult to attract a company.