Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 12

149 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 12 LUMBERTON MUNI C I PAL A I RPORT biking, jogging, crafts and fossil and artifact hunting. The airport, itself, is another significant community asset. “I’m from the area,” Lewis points out, “and I love it here. I love to see the airport bringing in new ideas and new business, but it is also just a place where you can discover something you never thought about before. We have parents bringing their kids out here frequently just to watch the aircraft, and that is wonderful. Every other week we get calls from someone who wants to try flying and wants to know if we have lessons. There is one person still here who is offering lessons and taking people up for flights, but there is no formal flight school. We have room to grow in that area.” Hangar availability is another topic of avid interest. As Lewis attests, “We are filled to capacity and people are always looking for hangar space. We are looking at opportunities to expand our number of hangars, but we are Proud Partner of Lumberton Regional Airport Since 1948 also looking at land lease opportunities where people can come in and build their hangars, using the land for a number of years before the ownership goes back to the airport. But for now, you just have to put your name on the waiting list.” Running an airport is a challenge, which Lewis describes as “trying to get a drink of water from a fire hydrant.” There is so much happening, operations-wise, and a lot that must be managed. But a good airport is at the heart of regional growth, whether in terms of economics, population, or just a sense of pride. “I guess I see the airport as a sort of jumping-off point for the community,” Lewis explains. “We are the ones using new technology and bringing in new ideas, we are the place where you can see new facilities and use new space. If there is a new direction that we need to go in, the airport has to lead the way.” “As we continue to improve our airport,” he