aviation scene includes various activities, from agricultural spray plane operations to the Civil Air Patrol and various private pilots utilizing the airport’s facilities. In hangar space, demand outpaces supply. “Our hangars are all occupied at this time,” Hemmer notes, indicating the airport’s strong activity level. The airport leases out eight T-hangars, but most hangars are privately owned, with owners leasing land from the airport.“We do have a couple of larger hangars that are privately owned,” she adds,“but they get to choose how many aircraft to store. Some could fit four or five planes, but they might only house one or two.” Regarding runway capacity and maintenance, Hemmer describes a robust infrastructure ready to handle commercial air traffic demands. “Both runways are part 139 certified and approved for commercial aircraft,” she explains. The primary runway, designated 13/31, is the main artery for the CRJ 200 aircraft serving the airport, accommodating up to 50 passengers. Maintenance is also on task, with recent upgrades ensuring safety and efficiency. “We just did a full rehabilitation of the main runway this summer,” Hemmer reports. The project involved extensive milling and overlay work, major crack repair, and fresh grooving and painting, all completed just two weeks ago. INDUSTRY CHALLENGES AND LOCAL SOLUTIONS The aviation industry faces significant headwinds, particularly for regional airports like Jamestown. Hemmer discusses the realities they contend with daily, especially the ripple effects of the pandemic on labor shortages. “SkyWest, our carrier, was probably impacted the most post-COVID,” she says. While North Dakota implemented travel restrictions during the pandemic that initially reduced boardings and flights, the area saw a rapid rebound. However, the nationwide pilot shortage hit regional airlines the hardest. Hemmer explains, “SkyWest did not lay off any pilots during the pandemic, but when travel returned, many of their pilots had opportunities to move to larger carriers.” The pilot deficit, long predicted in the industry, was 3 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 10 JAMESTOWN REGIONAL AIRPORT
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