A newly formed company wants to use the Jackson County Airport as a base of operations to sell lessons for piloting light sport aircraft.
Tom Stovall (a different Tom Stovall than the former Southern Lumber owner) and Debasish Banerjee of Jackson County Aviation said they anticipate their primary market would be Western Carolina University students. Additionally members of the Smoky Mountain Flying Club, who are helping the men purchase a light sport aircraft, would rent the plane at reduced rates.
Light sport aircraft are airplanes that can’t go more than 120 miles an hour and don’t weigh more than 1,320 pounds. They are real airplanes, Stovall emphasized, just lighter than most. It requires about $3,000 to become certified to fly light sport aircraft versus the $8,000 to $9,000 required for bigger planes.
“The airplane is very easy to fly, very simple,” Stovall said.
The two men asked the airport authority on Monday (Dec. 3) to consider waiving rent for a year for office and meeting space at the airport terminal, or until the start-up company became operational.
The men initially want to tie-down the airplane and decide later on hangar space.
“We’d be promoting the Jackson County Airport,” Banerjee said in support of why he believes the county should help the fledgling business by waiving rent. “There would be a lot of activity.”
Banerjee is an associate professor at WCU. Stovall is employed by Franklin Aviation at the Macon County Airport.
Stovall said they chose the Jackson County Airport as a base of operations over the Macon County Airport for three reasons: the students at WCU; because four counties surround Jackson providing a potential population of customers; and because Macon County’s airport is often shut down by fog until 10-11 a.m.
The Jackson County Airport is on top of Berry Ridge at a 3,000-foot elevation in Cullowhee where fog is less of a problem; Macon County’s airport is located at an elevation of 2,020 feet in Iotla Valley.
Stovall said they would need a tank that could hold at least 1,000 gallons of fuel. Installing one could cost $10,000, he said before asking if the county might be willing to invest in the tank.
“Do we need to do this or will the airport do it?” he asked.
“This might be a case of walk before you run,” said acting airport Manager Mike Schoonover, who’s also a member of the county’s airport authority.
Schoonover said that Jackson County Aviation might want to start with a portable tank before moving to a more permanent installation.
Commissioner Mark Jones, a member of the airport authority, said the group would need time before giving Jackson County Aviation an answer to its requests.
Stovall said he and Banerjee hope to have the business up and going by April 1.
In other business, the airport authority:
– Presented Schoonover with a thank-you plaque for all the work he’s done to improve the Jackson County Airport.
– Were told by Schoonover that transient visitation to the airport has increased and that air taxi or charter plane visitation is also up. He said that since the advent of live gaming at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino air taxi visits are averaging one to three a week rather than three a month as was previously the case.
– Learned that the direct economic contribution of the airport to Jackson County is $230,000; indirect is $80,000 and induced $120,000 for a total of $430,000. Induced impacts result from successive spending and are the multiplier effects of the direct and indirect impacts. The total payroll per year is $120,000. In taxes the airport generates $9,000 in business sales tax; $6,000 in local property tax; $4,000 in state corporate and personal tax; and $4,000 in property tax on based aircraft.
– Learned of the resignation of authority member and outgoing county commissioner Joe Cowan.
– Voted 3-0 to participate in the state Division of Aviation’s Airport Safety/Maintenance Program. This program helps with airfield safety. Authority member Jason Kimenker was absent.
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