Business View Magazine Dec-2022

159 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 and tax revenue for the city and as such, this becomes a large focus of the airport. “That makes us a really large economic driver as well,” explains Petty. “We have considerable traffic during those months and if you add to that the fact that so many corporations have begun to use the airport, in fact, proximity to the airport was the main drawing card for a couple of companies bringing their business here.” The airport hosts events now and again that bring people out to see the place. There is an aviation engine museum on site, which houses several different types of aircraft engines as well as two biplanes. It is always a big draw. The Thomasville flying club holds an annual event at the airport that brings in about 1500 people. This year was the 55th annual Thomasville Fly-In, which has always been scheduled on the second weekend of October, and that is also a real boon to the town economy as most stay the weekend. Where many airports saw the last few years as a struggle, Thomasville has continued to see roughly a 15% percent increase in fuel sales and growing operations. In 2028 there are plans to acquire land at the end of Runway 4 allowing them to lengthen the safety zone, opening the runway’s capability to the full 6004 feet. “Right now, we can only use 5500 feet,” Petty explains, “there’s a plan to purchase the properties at the end and clear them, creating a new safety zone which extends far enough out to enable us to use the full runway.” What exactly is on the horizon for Thomasville Airport as we look towards a new year just around the corner? “Once we get past some of the safety required projects that we have to do namely the line-of- sight issue,” Petty continues, “and to remove some of the trees on the private property that we’d like to acquire in the future – The long-range plan is to expand the apron area in the southwest development area to build additional hangars and allow more corporate operators and others to come into the airport and utilize its resources. As a local government-owned and operated full-service THOMASV I LLE REGIONAL A I RPORT