Dalton Airport officials/Crystal Air invite public to open house

May 07--Dalton Municipal Airport Manager Frank Hubbs admits that many local residents have never used the airport. But he says that its economic impact affects everyone in the area, whether they use it or not.

"We do have some local aircraft owners and pilots who use it on a routine basis. But we also have a lot of people use it to come into the area, and that's the bulk of the economic value," Hubbs said. "These folks are coming into town for various commercial purposes, to do business with local companies."

According to a 2011 Georgia Statewide Airport Economic Impact Study, the Dalton Municipal Airport creates some $3 million a year in economic benefits for the area. The study found that Georgia's 104 government-owned airports create $62.6 billion in economic benefits for the state.

On Saturday starting at 10 a.m., Dalton area residents can learn more about the airport when it holds its fourth annual open house.

The open houses were started by Crystal Air, a Tennessee company, after it became the airport's fixed-base operator in 2008. Fixed-base operators offer support to general aviation such as fueling and maintenance of planes, as well as flight instruction and aircraft leasing.

Taylor Newman, director of operations for Crystal Air, says the open houses typically bring in around 300 to 400 people.

"It will last until everybody is through flying, probably around 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. That's what we've typically done in the past," said Newman. "We'll have airplane rides. I'm not sure at this time what they will cost. We'll have airplanes for people to look at, food and people who can tell them about the airport."

Dalton Municipal Airport has 41 aircraft based at the field, according to airnav.com. It averages 63 flights a day, about evenly split between local general aviation and non-local general aviation.

Copyright 2012 - The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.