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Moore County Airport Reveals Growth Plans & Economic Impact
The first of the year at the Moore County Airport is usually a quiet time, but business as usual is not in the DNA of Airport Director Rick Cloutier.
Cloutier is in business development mode for the future, knowing that the Moore County Airport just observed 2024 as its busiest year since the original airfield was established in 1929.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Aviation recently released its biannual State of Aviation report ranking Moore County in the top 16 of all North Carolina airports for economic output at $135.5 million, a 26.5 percent increase over the previous study. The collected data was through 2023, which does not take into account the epic level of aircraft arrivals and departures in 2024.
Focusing on the infrastructure of the airport has been a priority for the Moore County Airport Authority, which oversees the management of the airport operations. Expansion with new general aircraft hangars and the development of larger corporate aircraft hangars is an ongoing process, and the local airport has had several of these hangars scheduled to be completed within the next few years. One corporate hangar is currently under construction, and several more are planned.
The airport is preparing for a major conversion for the airport ramp from the existing asphalt to a state-of-the-art cement surface, providing a longer life for the tarmac and the ability to accommodate heavier aircraft, especially in warmer months.
“We are pleased to see the positive level of growth at the airport and an increase in customers that are based here,” said Airport Authority Chairman Adam Kiker. “We are seeing more local businesses with a desire to base larger aircraft at Moore County, and we are working hard to accommodate their needs with larger hangars.”
The recent expansion of the U.S. Golf Association to Pinehurst has, and will continue to, impact the airport for years to come. The 2024 U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst generated nearly 1,800 flights with passengers routing through Moore County Airport in a seven-day period. Knowing that this championship will return every five years, along with other USGA championships during the intervening years, the airport is focused on the arrival and departure experience for passengers.
One of the major goals for the short-term future of the airport is to enhance the airport terminal. To that end, the Airport Authority has charged Cloutier to plan a new terminal that is slated for completion in 2027. The Alliance architectural firm has been chosen and is currently working with a committee of local business stakeholders and local elected officials from the various towns and villages adjacent to the airport. They have been holding visioning workshops to ascertain a “sense of place” and theme for the new terminal design.
The facility is targeted to be much larger that the one which currently exists, at 15,000 square feet, with the focus on the arrival and departure experience. Construction could begin in early 2026. Elements of the new design will be made public in the coming months.
The airport also is currently researching opportunities for Moore County commercial air service, which ended several years ago. The airport contracted with Volaire Aviation Consulting to complete a study which was presented last year to various groups. Senior leadership from the airport, CVB and economic development have continued to research the opportunities for commercial service and have attended several meetings around the country interviewing various potential commercial carriers to gauge their interest.
The airport is owned by Moore County; the airport operations budget is primarily funded by fuel sales, hangar rentals, landing and other fees. Infrastructure and capital improvements are mostly funded from state and federal grants. The Airport Authority has oversight of the business side of the airport, with the director and his staff handling the day-to-day operations, as well as the development of new business and project management.
A recently established Business Advisory Committee, made of community business leaders, assists the authority and senior staff with input and guidance for the strategic planning. Eric Kuester, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Pinehurst Resort, is chairman of the committee, which includes the CVB, Moore County Economic Development Partnership, Sandhills Community College, First Health, the USGA and Lee Electric.
“We are pleased at the path the Airport Authority and staff are following for the future of the airport,” stated Kuester. “The recent release of the state economic figures and results of the research we have conducted in the past year, serves as validation to strengthen the facilities and services for our airport. I believe our best days are in front of us as we continue executing against our collective vision.”
(Article from The Pilot)
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