Airport authority has big plans for city's airport

ASHEBORO — The Asheboro city council heard goals for enhancing the airport and attracting more businesses over the next decade. At their Jan. 8 meeting, Bob Crumley of the Airport Authority laid out the strategic plan.

“I’ve been on this authority for a fairly long time,” Crumley said, “and this is the first time we’ve developed a strategic plan.”

He said one of their first steps was to remove the section of the charter that banned manufacturing around Asheboro Regional Airport. Now, industries related to aviation can make use of the “hundreds and hundreds of acres” around Pilots View Road.

The strategic plan committee’s biggest priority right now is a new terminal. Crumley said the current building is too old to handle modern aviation needs.

The arrival of Toyota’s battery plant and the Ross Stores’ distribution center, he said, is bringing more corporate jets. In addition to fuel, they need a place for the pilots to refresh.

Crumley said the Randolph County Economic Development Authority gets frequent calls from other businesses interested in utilizing the airport’s fuel and tax benefits.

He said incentivizing companies to rent hangar space and pay taxes on their planes is a win-win for the city.

“Airplanes are historically a good economic driver for a location because they don’t require the services other economic developments require,” he explained. “My airplane never once wanted to put anybody in school, never once needed a public service, and thank God, never needed an ambulance or fire truck.”

He laid out the strategic plan’s two-, three- and 10-year plans.

2 years

■ New terminal building. 

■ Additional T-hangars.

■ Move the fuel farm, repaint and restripe.

5 years

■ Strengthen the runway for heavier take-offs and landings.

■ Pad-ready sites on south side inside the fence.

■ Add more T-hangars for rental, overnight and short-term shortage.

■ Purchase tow motor or other equipment to move planes.

■ Hire designated airport director.

10 years

■ Improve north end of taxiway for future hangars.

■ Add hangars on north side.

■ Buy land at intersection of Tot Hill Farm and Airport Roads.

■ Pad-ready outside fence along Tot Hill Farm, Airport Roads.

■ Build a larger hangar for emergency rentals.

■ Develop spec-building on north taxiway property.

Council member Charles Swiers asked for a landing count. Crumley said it varies, but the airport can see about 100 landings some weeks, and traffic tripled since Toyota built its plant in Liberty.

Council member Phil Skeen asked how many hangars they anticipate. Crumley said they would like to get three more hangars approved.

“We’ve had a waiting list for probably three years of 30 to 50 planes,” he said.

Last April, the city council approved the lease for the North Carolina Aviation Museum and Hall of Fame to build a new hangar.

Council member Mary Joan Pugh asked about their research into the new terminal’s needs. Crumley said they were advised to “build bigger than you need, because it needs to be a 40-to-50-year building.” 

He said their original terminal proposal had to be pared down for costs, but the Airport Authority believes their current building plan would be good for 30 to 40 years. Engineering firm WK Dickson is in charge of the design.

For more details about the airport operation, check out www.airnav.com/airport/KHBI and the city's website.