FLORENCE REGIONAL AIRPORT A FRIENDLY LANDING EVERY TIME WWW.FLYFLO.COM
A FRIENDLY L EVERY TIME FLORENCE REGIONAL AIRPORT AT A GLANCE FLORENCE REGIONAL AIRPORT WHAT: A growing commercial airport offering passenger service, general aviation, and economic development potential. WHERE: F lorence, South Carolina WEBSITE: w ww.flyflo.com WITH A CUSTOMER-FIRST APPROACH AND A RENEWED VISION, THIS REGIONAL AIRPORT IS FLYING HIGH 1 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07
LANDING Florence Regional Airport (FLO) is stepping into the future with a renewed focus on growth, convenience, and customer experience. Since taking the reins in January 2025, Executive Director Brad Beadles has been bringing fresh vision and energetic leadership to the airport, which is quickly becoming a gateway to economic opportunity for the region. 2 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07
From the moment they arrived, the community of Florence made a strong impression on Beadles and his family.“We felt the southern charm. Everybody’s very pleasant, very kind, and very giving. So that was a big sell for us,” he recalls. The welcoming community was just the beginning. For Beadles, it was the airport’s untapped potential that stood out the most. “I saw the opportunity,” he says. “I thought, I love to learn. So, this is a perfect opportunity for me to step in and make this happen.” A REGIONAL ASSET READY FOR TAKEOFF Governed by the Pee Dee Regional Airport District, Florence Regional is a Part 139 commercial service airport, currently offering three daily flights with American Airlines to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. “We really appreciate our relationship with American Airlines but we’re hoping to expand to include other airlines as well, hopefully this year,” Beadles shares, adding that he is actively working to attract airlines such as Delta and Sky West. “The airport currently has four gates. We would like all of them to be in use. So, air service development is really big on our priority list right now.” Beyond commercial flights, Florence Regional handles a mix of general aviation, small cargo, and med flights. “Due to the large healthcare presence in Florence of McLeod and MUSC the med flights do come in and out of here. We are in talks now of having them based here,” Beadles says. Expansion of cargo operations is also on the radar, which would result in a runway extension, and a partnership with Inland Port Dillon. “If you look at the model that Greenville-Spartanburg has, we kind of want to emulate that,” he explains.“They use the Greer Inland Port, and that’s what helped them bring in BMW. That would help the economic growth and impact of what our airport can do for Florence and the Pee Dee region.” FLO also gets some high-profile visitors. “Michael Jordan flew in here,” Beadles boasts. “We have NetJets, and some GA traffic here daily. In the future, we would really like to expand upon that with the available land that we have, redo the FBO, and focus a lot on the GA aspect of our airport as well.” Additionally, the airport sits on more than 1,400 acres, with more than 700 acres identified as developable land. Florence Regional is working to leverage this space to attract new investment. Such 3 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07 FLORENCE REGIONAL AIRPORT
That growth includes both aviation-related and nonaeronautical development opportunities.The airport has land available on the front, north, and south sides of the property, including several parcels with direct rail access to the Inland Port Dillon, a regional asset that Beadles describes as “a hidden gem.”A few hundred acres are located outside the airport’s fence land availability is rare in the aviation industry and represents one of the airport’s greatest competitive advantages. “We, as an airport, are in a position of growth, whether that be commercial, whether that be cargo, whether that be GA. We’re going to grow in every aspect,” Beadles emphasizes. 4 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07
and are well suited for non-aeronautical use. Inside the fence, approximately 500 acres of developable land are available to support future expansion. CONVENIENCE YOU CAN’T GET IN CHARLOTTE Despite competition from nearby major airports, FLO is carving out a niche by focusing on what the big hubs can’t offer. “We can sell something they can’t, and that’s convenience and customer experience,” Beadles asserts. “I mean, I have been on a flight where I can basically get from the parking lot to my flight in 15 minutes. Try doing that in Charlotte.” That philosophy helped shape the airport’s recent rebranding. Beadles expands, “We have a new logo, and a new slogan. We’re ‘Fly Home, Fly FLO.’ What’s more convenient, what’s more effortless than home? What’s more secure than the feeling of being home?” The hope is that this message and the experience itself will convince travelers it’s worth the extra costs to skip the drive. “It might be worth the extra $100 instead to fly home, than to fly to Charlotte or Myrtle Beach,” he says. 5 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07 FLORENCE REGIONAL AIRPORT
Florence Regional Airport’s FBO, Precision Air, provides fueling, ground handling, and aircraft maintenance services, including specialized maintenance for Department of Defense aircraft from nearby Air Force bases in Charleston and Jacksonville. While the FBO delivers high-quality technical work, Beadles sees opportunities to enhance customer service in line with the goal of elevating the overall passenger experience. He stresses. “There’s a lot of things that I am in the process of changing to make this airport feel like home for our passengers.” IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE GROUND UP Over recent months the airport has already made several customer centric improvements, from the addition of charging stations to a change in housekeeping services.“That was a big one,” Beadles acknowledges. “Within two days, you could feel a difference in the airport.” Florence Regional is also working on a new micro-market restaurant and have put in mural to reinforce that “welcome home” feeling. In partnership with LAZ Parking, FLO will be upgrading its parking options, a necessary upgrade. Beadles recounts, “Parking was a big one that our customers had complaints about, and now we’re going to be able to offer options where you can prepay and pay by text. You don’t have to download an app, you don’t have to do anything. You just text the number and it’ll pay for your parking.” Efforts are also underway to expand transportation links and improve accessibility for travelers. A 6 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07
planned partnership with the Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority (PDRTA) would introduce shuttle service connecting the airport with downtown Florence and nearby hotels. “That’s one we’re really excited about,” he remarks,“We want to be the most convenient airport in the country.” Pending approval from the FAA, a terminal rehabilitation is also on the agenda over the next year. “If we’re accepted into the airport terminal program that would be roughly a $40 million terminal renovation,” Beadles relays. “The terminal was built in 1993 and not much has really been done since then.” Planned renovations would include a new bar and restaurant, expanded seating areas, and updated HVAC and security systems.The project also calls for the addition of jet bridges, more airline counters, and a new rental car area. A RUNWAY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH For Beadles, the airport’s role in the community goes far beyond passenger convenience. He sees FLO as a key driver of regional economic development.“I don’t think people really see how the airport facilitates 7 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07 FLORENCE REGIONAL AIRPORT
the economic growth of an area,” he admits. “We have McLeod, we have AESC, which is going to have possibly 2000 employees, we have GE Healthcare, Honda, QVC, all these large employers here in the Florence area. They want to use the airport, but the airport hasn’t done its job. It wasn’t clean, it wasn’t convenient, the parking was a mess.” The hope is that as the airport continues to improve it will become a gateway for businesses. “GE is shipping MRIs to Miami, Chicago and Atlanta on semi trailers to be exported out onto cargo planes,” Beadles reports. “When I asked, ‘Why aren’t you doing it out of Florence,’ they said, ‘We didn’t know we could.’” In the next 24 months, the airport will move forward with the reconstruction of Taxiway A, followed by a full terminal rehabilitation and a planned extension of Runway 09/27 to 8,000 feet, with an ultimate goal of reaching 10,000 feet to accommodate future cargo growth. Beadles says work is also underway to bring Runway 01/19 up to air carrier standards.After collaborating with the city to remove obstructions 8 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07
9 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07 FLORENCE REGIONAL AIRPORT
PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau www.visitflo.com The Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau offers guidance for area visitors and convention support. While you’re here, explore our vibrant county through local cuisine and cultural gems. Download our app for maps, itineraries, and insider tips to make the most of your visit. and establish new approach procedures, the goal is to fully rehabilitate that runway in 2027, including upgrades to lighting and navigational systems. “It’s like eating an elephant,” he remarks.“We have to do it a bite at a time.” As Florence Regional Airport continues to focus on convenience, customer experience, and economic impact, it is evolving into a modern, accessible, and connected transportation hub that proudly invites travelers to “Fly Home, Fly FLO.” 10 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07
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