Raleigh Regional Airport at Person County Set to Break Ground on Corporate Hangar
July 14, 2021
On Wednesday morning, elected and appointed officials, county staff, and citizens gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony at the Raleigh Regional Airport at Person County to commemorate the construction of a new, fully-equipped 130’ x 120’ corporate hangar. The event was held as a prelude to construction set to be completed in the Spring of 2022.
Henry Newell, Chairman of the Airport Commission, offered the opening comments and recalled the history of the airport from its inception in the 1970s under the leadership and advocacy of the late Brantley Burnett, a business owner and strong proponent of the airport’s formation and growth, to numerous expansions supported by Person County leadership over the years to bring it to where it is today.
The Person County Board of Commissioners incorporated the $4 million investment to fund this latest expansion into the county’s capital projects budget with unanimous support, citing the potential economic impact.
“I believe business at Raleigh Regional Airport at Person County will continue to flourish with the new addition by attracting new clients and adding a much-needed economic boost for Person County well into the future,” said County Commission Chairman Gordon Powell.
The hangar has been designed to house a large corporate aircraft, which would have the potential to generate more than a quarter of a million dollars in tax revenue without creating the infrastructure needs that come from other types of investment and development, and while also serving as a recruitment tool for economic development.
“Though the world has changed since the start of this project, private air travel has seen an increase during the pandemic that is expected to continue for both corporate and leisure travel. Person County’s proximity to Raleigh-Durham and the Research Triangle make us a good market for both,” said Sherry Wilborn, Economic Development Director for Person County.
Other efforts in the works for the 6,005’-runway, general aviation airport include runway expansion and continued promotion of the name change from Person County Airport to Raleigh Regional Airport at Person County which took effect last year.
Person County is a part of the Research Triangle Region of North Carolina, with proximity to the Piedmont Triad Region, and is a border county to Virginia. Person County Economic Development serves as the primary contact for business and industry seeking to locate or expand in Person County. Contact us today for available buildings, sites, or other information.