Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 12

164 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 12 L INCOLNTON – L INCOLN COUNTY REGIONAL A I RPORT in the perfect spot,” says Joe Tate, Manager of Lincolnton – Lincoln County Regional Airport, “If we just look at where we are in relation to the highways, we are about four miles east of a four-lane highway, US 321, and we are also situated between interstate 85, Interstate 77, and Interstate 40 – so there’s literally a triangle around us with three Interstate highways. Lincoln County is growing at an astonishing rate. Within the last three to five years we have seen entire subdivisions with thousands of homes, some for retirees, some smaller, some larger… this county has grown from 35,000 to 90,000 residents in forty years. Right next to us is Mecklenburg County which contains all of Charlotte. It’s well over a million people now outside of the city, so their density is 12 people for every one of ours. Of course this airport serves 15 communities, all the towns around Lake Norman. We also have a longer runway than the nearest airport to the south, at Gastonia, so we can handle larger jet traffic.” The Lincolnton-Lincoln County Regional Airport covers an area of 453 acres and has one runway designated 5/23 with an asphalt surface measuring 5,500 by 100 feet. The Airport Authority operates as its own Fixed Base Operator (FBO) and provides both AVGas and Jet Fuel. The airport is outfitted with MIRL and REIL lighting, DUATS computer weather, as well as DTN weather and rent tie-down and hangar space. As Tate points out, it can probably handle any type of jet in an emergency but is rated for 60,000 pounds and under. Excluding commercial flights, this is sufficient for most general and corporate aviation. “The growth in the area, as well as a lot of other factors, actually meant that we thrived during Covid,” Tate admits. “Our revenues went up 30 to 35% because people transitioned from flying on commercial aviation to flying privately or on chartered jet services like NetJets. We are also a good flying range between Boston and