Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is hoping to tap into some of its unused potential. 

Airport officials have commissioned a $150,000 study to help it figure out what kind of business to attract to its buildings and property.

The airport doesn't have regularly scheduled commercial passenger service, but many smaller planes and jets use the airport and there are many aviation-related businesses located at the airport.

Lakeland Linder owns large hangars and other buildings on its property that it leases to businesses. Those buildings are close to capacity.

Florida Modification Specialists leases a large hangar from the airport where it does maintenance and other work mostly on Boeing 737s. Owner Donald Bruce is running out of space.

"We're turning away business," he said.

Bruce hopes the airport will build a hangar that could accommodate Boeing 747s that his company would service.

"That 8,500-foot runway out there, they don't make a flying machine that can't land in Lakeland," Bruce said.

Airport director Gene Conrad said the study will look at ideas including extending a rail line to handle air freight services.

"Does it make sense or not?" he said. "Air cargo, additional air service here."

Recruiting new businesses might help existing businesses.

"We need an engine shop," Conrad said. "We need someone to work on the giant engines that are on these aircraft. We currently don't have that type of business here."

The study should be ready some time next year.