Here is an interesting article about how general aviation airports (in Maine) provide a lift to the economy. This study involved only 39 airports – imagine if California did a similar study of it’s GA airports and their contributions to the state economy.
Give lift to local economy, employment
General aviation airports in the region support 807 jobs and generate more than $117 million for the local economy, according to a recent government study.
The study, sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, looked at 39 airports across the state and examined how they contribute to the economy. It said all the state’s airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, support 124,000 jobs statewide and generate almost $11.9 billion in annual economic activity.
The ripple effect of a regional airport can be substantial. Airports are home to flight training schools, aircraft maintenance companies, and other aviation businesses. After landing at an airport, planes fuel up. Visitors often need to rent cars, book hotel rooms, and eat at local establishments. The study used FAA-approved methodology to measure the economic impact of each airport and calculate the number of area jobs that each supports.
There are five general aviation airports in the suburbs south of Boston, in Marshfield, Plymouth, Hanson, Mansfield, and Norwood. Of all the general aviation airports in Southeastern Massachusetts, Norwood Memorial Airport had the greatest economic impact ($51.4 million) and largest total employment (386 jobs). It was followed closely by Plymouth Municipal Airport, which supports 301 jobs and contributes $48.5 million to the region’s economy.
“We certainly play a part in the economy,’’ said Tom Maher, manager of Plymouth Municipal Airport, which is home to two flight schools, four aircraft maintenance companies, two charter flight businesses, several corporate flight operations, a commuter airline to Nantucket, and a cafe called Plane Jane’s. The Massachusetts State Police Air Wing flies out of Plymouth, as does Boston MedFlight.
Maher said that the Plymouth airport serves as a “gateway to the community,’’ and that its presence can be felt far beyond the town’s borders.
“There’s that old aviation saying,’’ said Maher, “Build a mile of roadway, and you can go a mile. Build a mile of runway, and you can go anywhere in the world.’’
Access to air transportation makes a region more attractive to employers, said Thomas J. O’Rourke, president and chief executive of the Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce.
“There’s a spillover effect, too, from all of the people coming in and out of the airport,’’ he said. “They’re staying in the area, and going to restaurants.’’
O’Rourke said an airport is not only an asset to the community, it can also be an attraction: He has brought his son to watch planes take off and land at the Norwood airport.
Norwood Memorial Airport is used by, among others, congressmen and New England Patriots players, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft, and former quarterback Doug Flutie. News helicopters for channels 5 and 25 also fly out of there. The airport has a rich military heritage: Originally built in 1942 to train pilots during World War II, it became a municipal airport in 1946, and the town later dedicated it to all Norwood veterans who served in combat.
