Business View Magazine | Volume 9, Issue 1

152 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 1 Blimp started using us as one of their mooring sites as they traverse across the nation to different sporting events. It comes in and stays overnight before leaving in the morning and that draws a pretty big crowd.” The airport team are always trying to find ways of promoting HOB and Lea County. According to Needham, “We work hand in hand with the Economic Development Corporation of Lea County. They were the ones who got our airline service up and running and arranged a revenue guarantee with the City of Hobbs. They are also the ones who hold the contract with United, and they have the advertising and marketing responsibilities associated with the commercial airline service.” The ultimate goal for the airport is expansion. The hope is for more routes, perhaps even more carriers. While there is constant updating and modernization happening at Lea County Regional Airport, it is done with careful strategy, so as not to interfere with existing routes and programs. The terminal expansion has just been it allowed them to follow all protocols while maintaining a healthy environment for their clientele. Relationships with the community are important to Lea County Regional Airport. They not only allow people to feel more at home when coming out to the airport, but they build enthusiasm for aeronautics – whether that leads to flying as a hobby, or a career in the field. There are always field trips to the airport for the elementary schools, and then, usually in October, the airport holds an Aviation Day. “It is a fly-in celebration,” says Needham. “We will have military aircraft – we’ve got an Osprey that comes in, we’ve had a C130 – and the community gets to go through those aircraft. Then we have a lot of general aviation and World War II aircraft come, there are upwards of 50 to 70 aircraft. We generally have about 3500 to 4500 people come out on those days. Just to get them familiar with the airport excites me and I love those days. It makes the public understand that it is “their” airport. Another great thing is that the Goodyear