Business View Magazine | October 2020

162 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2020 V I RGINI A HIGHLANDS A I RPORT of first-class restaurants, and Broadway style theatre at the World Famous Barter Theatre. The Airport also plays an important role in exposing the youth to aviation in Southwest Virginia. “We participate in the annual United Way Career Expo as a continued effort to introduce and educate the youth about the aviation industry,” Hines notes. “4,500 students over a two-day period from all over Southwest Virginia attend the Expo. The Airport provides information about Virginia Highlands Airport, possible career opportunities that await them, and additional resources to broaden their interest. Some even take a turn sitting behind the controls of a flight simulator and pilot their own flight.” “In addition to the Expo, the Airport plays host to numerous school field trips throughout the year,” Hines adds. “Many of the youth that visit never get the opportunity to visit an airport and we love bridging that gap for them. Several who have passed through the doors return later in life to share with us their aviation career that started right here with a simple visit to Virginia Highlands Airport. The general aviation airport is also host to a Virginia State Police aviation unit and the Virginia Department of Forestry has a base of operations there during the fire season. Nine business jet aircraft call the Virginia Highlands Airport home, as well. Washington County, Virginia owns the Airport and the Virginia Highlands Airport Authority is its governing body. There is a total of 10 full- time and part-time employees. “We pay our salaries, all of our utilities, our insurance - all operating expenses without assistance, whether it’s county, state, or federal,” Hines reports. “So, we’re completely self-sufficient.” The annual operating budget is about $1.2M and the Airport, itself, is valued at more than