As growing counties go, Greene County has the advantage of having a small regional airport three miles outside the city of Greensboro on Union Point Highway, which services up to 55 planes a week.
Serviced as a general aviation airport, it is a testament to good county planning with the introduction of the Reynolds facilities, one of the lake area’s premier golf courses and home to the Ritz-Carlton, more than 35 years ago.
Owned by the county and leased by Spirit Aviation under contract, the airport has seen growth by connecting the county’s largely rural communities to commerce and hospitality facilities not limited to Reynolds.
Greensboro’s regional airport and others like it connect smaller communities that lack sufficient demand for major airline services. They also provide aircraft hangars for local pilots who ferry passengers to and from Greensboro.
Due to the increasing growth of the county and utilization of the airport, Greene County commissioners approved funding from both SPLOST and TSPLOST last year for an airport apron expansion at a cost match of $470,980. Earlier, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) approved more than $1.2 million toward the project.
According to the county, the project is greatly needed and helps position the apron to accommodate the new T-hangers, which are configured to optimize space at the facility and two additional private hangers.
The county asserts that the present apron is very poor, and that left untreated will affect the operations of the airport and the use of the current T-hangers and private hangars. The expansion is expected to also accommodate the increased ramp space needs due to higher numbers of aircraft using the facility.
Keith Bounds, owner of Spirit Aviation, also has a facility at the Thomson McDuffie-Regional Airport. It has been the provider of aviation services to Augusta, Thomson, Greensboro, Reynolds, and the areas surrounding Lake Oconee.
“We were hired some time ago by the county in 2012 to maintain the facility, which includes fueling and servicing aircraft,” Bounds said. “Our contract is renewed with the county every five years, and we serve as the airport managers here. The runway is 5,500 feet long and 100 feet wide at its widest point, important parameters for flying aircraft. Presently, there are 15 planes based here and a long list of hangar requests. We are presently maxed out on space.”
The airport has an Airport Advisory Committee that meets monthly to both advise and promote improvement. Members are from the community and are those with aviation backgrounds or interests. Paul McGill is a long-serving Delta pilot with 30 years of experience beyond a long career in Army transport. He has served as airport chairman since 1987.
“Presently, we have at least 15 planes that are based out of the airport and average roughly 55-60 departures and landing a week,” McGill said. “We also offer services here, which include rental cars, fueling, and transport within the area. The airport’s use is open to the public, and we have a large amount of corporate travel to and from the Ritz Carlton and surrounding areas.”
A big tax revenue is generated for the county with aircraft calling Greensboro home that can cost more than a million dollars. Rabun Neal is president of Reynolds Lake Oconee and knows well the economic impact the airport brings.
“The airport and its amenities are wonderful for Reynolds,” Neal said. “It is nice to have an aviation facility that brings in clients to Reynolds. One case, in particular, is a gentleman who flew in for a Georgia game and later built it here. I imagine his contribution in taxes alone is upwards of $65,000. The entire lake community benefits.”