Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 9

197 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 9 about. He shares, “I can’t imagine how excited they are when flying an aircraft for the first time, at the age of 16 or 17 years old. There was nothing like this when I was a similar age. But it is great for students to get enrolled in an aviation program at such a young age.” The airport also hosts a Glider Academy every other year which is strictly reserved for gliders. A.L. Mangham Jr. Regional Airport is deeply invested in the community and hosts a number of community events and fundraisers for worthy causes. These events include drive-in movie nights projected onto the hangar wall and big kite flying competitions. On the environmental conservation front, a patch of land at the airport has been marked off for the Audubon Society, who have created a bird sanctuary for migrating flocks. Moving into the future, the team at A.L. Mangham Jr. Regional Airport is focused on building a new terminal and inviting new businesses. With 600 undeveloped acres, there is plenty of prime real estate for aviation related commercial, industrial and logistics development. “I’d love to see other businesses come and join us on the field,” says Cefalu. “Anything to do with avionics, like more power plant businesses, mechanics, and even upholstery. Currently, I believe the airport is the most underutilized property in the city, and I want to change that.” Airport management also wants to build on existing relationships and forge new ones. But for now, the most anticipated agenda on the wish list is to break ground on the terminal project and carry on creating new offerings for everyone in Nacogdoches. A . L . MANGHAM JR . REGIONAL A I RPORT