Trying to save Horace a Williams Airport

[mccdeuce]

https://www.change.org/p/save-horace-williams-airport

[bradp]

I live about a mile from the airport.  It has a ton of potential to serve the area but UNC has choked it to practically nothing over the years.  It's like an ivory tower slow-mo SMO.

Folks who work at the airport have over the years tried to get AOPA to help with this struggle without success / interest. 

@GeorgePerry do you still have any contacts over there that would be helpful in an effort to save this airport?

 

[Bob_Belville]

Petition signed, Mark. @mccdeuce

[midlifeflyer]

I signed the petition about a week ago. I doubt it will do anything to stop the closure of an airport which has been in the process of slowly closing down for more than a decade  

[TomR]

Sign. Never been to the airport but sounds like quite the political nightmare. Good luck guys

[sgrooves]

Signing. I've flown in and out of there a couple of times. Unbelievably convenient to visit people at UNC. Pattern altitude at 2,000 ft above the surface makes it a little more interesting (compared to others in this area). There were probably only 2 other planes on the ramp when I was there last.

[steingar]

They've been trying to do away with my local University airport since I moved here.  Thankfully, Uncle Sam has spent big buck$ on it, so I don't  think it will be in any danger for a long time.  That's good, because I'm now based there.

[Rudest Buddhist]

Signed with solidarity from KSMO.

[MB65E]

Signed! I guess my three girls wont need to go to UNC. Hope they keep it open.

 

-Matt

[Hank]

4 hours ago, steingar said:

They've been trying to do away with my local University airport since I moved here.  Thankfully, Uncle Sam has spent big buck$ on it, so I don't  think it will be in any danger for a long time.  That's good, because I'm now based there.

Big Buck$ for the Buckeye$!! It's in a good spot, on the shopping mecca side of town. Some of my friends in WV used to fly to KOSU to do their Christmas shopping. They still may, I'm not around for those conversations anymore. Around here, we just drive a half hour or so to Montgomery. 

[plumberpilot]

Had a young friend at Duke battling cancer for his life all year last year. This little airport was an important part of our battle giving me the opportunity to conveniently ferry family and friends between KROA and KIGX who might not have come otherwise. Unfortunately we lost our patient to that dreadful disease. I wondered why more folks weren’t using it or why its not being improved like KBCB ?? If its a liability its only because the owners want it to be one. 

 Signed 

Ricky

 

[mccdeuce]

The university has been trying to close it for quite some time. In fact I believe they actually voted to close it 2005.  So they drove away almost all of the base customers.  

Their effort is to drive people away so they can say it’s not being used therefore why keep it open.  

On game day/night it’s often hard to find parking - but a lot of those planes don’t buy fuel. So simply saying “hey there’s a small landing fee waived with fuel purchase, all proceeds go back to improving airport infrastructure” - it would go a long way. Alas the university leadership would rather use the space for something else. 

To me there is a lot of potential to inspire and work with students but non aviators just done see it. 

 

Thanks for for those that have signed. I’m not sure there’s much we can do at this point but here is to keeping a positive attitude. 

[eman1200]

signed, although this has been going on for a long time.

[bradp]

It’s in a relatively affluent area with a population that likes cultural activities and a has a whole lot of hipsters.  Put an airport restaurant / bar in the old UNC hangar.  Build an aviation education program (LU sociocultural issues aside has kept Lynchburg tower open and the field busy over the last decade).  Indoor farmers market would bring the community to the airport.  All those things would literally save the airport.  Most of the local community literally has no idea that there is an airport in town.  

The airport manager told me that they have enough interest from local pilots that deposits alone would cover the majority of the capital costs to build hangars and they would be profitable within a couple of years.  Nope says the board.  

If they truly wanted to make the Airport an economic driver they would leverage it to be used to bring boutique/ medical tourism to the area between the Duke and UNC hospitals   Instead they have moved almost all the air operations (AHEC flying services to a hangar at RDU).  They have enough surrounding land that a tech startup / incubator program that every major academic center has could springboard off the airports proximity for attracting investment.  Instead the land they have adjacent is more useful as an overflow parking lot.   And that’s exactly what UNC wants the Airport to be....

Probably the best traction would be the various alumni donors that come to the UNC / Duke sports activities.  The problem is that the big iron donors now go to Signature at RDU due to IGXs runway being short/ kind of rough /  surrounding obstructions and therefore no precision approach / minimal or basic facilities.  It literally works itself into a self fulfilling prophecy.  

[steingar]

Yeah, the University has invested into our airport, and lengthened the runways to allow jets.  Its the busiest GA airport in the state, and actually the third busiest period.  Many of the larger local companies have jets hangared there.  The airport is a real driver for the region, a lot more so than a bunch more Starbucks and Walmarts.

[laytonl]

I have signed the petition. At one time I was on the board of one of the affiliated UNC Healthcare hospitals and flew to Chapel Hill regularly.  Very convenient airport to the Healthcare system.  Lee

[mooneyflyer]

On 3/5/2018 at 10:31 PM, bradp said:

I live about a mile from the airport.  It has a ton of potential to serve the area but UNC has choked it to practically nothing over the years.  It's like an ivory tower slow-mo SMO.

Folks who work at the airport have over the years tried to get AOPA to help with this struggle without success / interest. 

@GeorgePerry do you still have any contacts over there that would be helpful in an effort to save this airport?

 

Does anybody seem upset that AOPA wasn't interested?

[mccdeuce]

Unfortunately there isn’t much AOPA can do.  

Its a private airport and they did not take FAA funding. (I looked into that when they would not allow me to open a monthly tie down or hangar contract) 

it is going to be left to the state legislature. 

I would love the opportunity to help rebuild this airport so I am trying to keep hope.

[bradp]

Another angle Mark - National register of historic places? I started researching some of the requirements and protections afforded.  May be worth looking into further.   

[mccdeuce]

Interesting angle. Worth a shot. 

[bradp]

Heard from then Airport staff that the closing date is set to be one day before the only thing likely to stop the closure (NC legislature session) reconvenes.  

 

Cross posted from beechtalk :

 

 

Cross posted from beechtalk:

 

The latest word from IGX is that UNC Chapel HIll is set to close the airport on May 15. Recently the state legislature has been directing the Airport to be kept operating while the University has been simultaneously choking it financially over the years (no new based aircraft allowed, air medical services moved off site, etc). The last University Board of Trustees resolution used an argument that there were no University missions being conducted, and does not produce revenue; therefore closure plans could go forward unobstructed (irony noted). The state legislature convenes on May 16th, which is not insignificant with regard to the selected closing date. 

The airport has a long standing historical significance to the local area and the nation. It was a WWII training facility and has a significance as the home of the Wheeler Air Service, the first African-American owned air carrier.  

Airport staff have indicated that AOPA hasn’t been helpful or successful in this Airport advocacy issue.   

The mechanism to save the airport may be to get the Airport on the national / NC register of historic places...

Thoughts or ideas? NC residents please call your state representatives.

 

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2018/03/a ... s.html?m=1

A link to the petition:  
https://www.change.org/p/save-horace-williams-airport

The availability of this airport in close proximity to the hospital got me to see my little one be born when my wife went into labor. I owe the Airport some effort. Thanks Horace Williams.

 

I’ll be on the phone with my representatives Monday AM.  

 

https://twitter.com/bradpodd/status/995388073671299076?s=21

 

#savehorace

Thanks 

Brad

 

[bradp]

Cross posted from beechtalk:  

There was a small gathering of aviators and townspeople at the airport on its last night of operation. A perfect evening for flying. A couple of pictures and videos of the activity. 

The FAA techs cut the ASOS equipment down. There are yellow Xs now painted on the runway. Perhaps there’s a little hope yet as the Xs are not in permanent paint.


https://youtu.be/_rznRHPpLrA

https://youtu.be/NMFlVL-b28U

https://youtu.be/49G4CM_jtns

https://youtu.be/ZMpwZCKDM7g

 

 

[aviatoreb]

Very sad.

Ironically, I was on my way flying to KIGX just over two weeks ago when I had to divert with my emergency - happily with a safe outcome.  So I didn't make it.

Then I am supposed to go to Chapel Hill - or Raleigh - not sure where my business host will be that day - on this coming Monday.  But sadly KIGX won't be there anymore.  I did fly in there once about 10 years ago at least.

[sgrooves]

Found this online here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article210737729.html ... probably the explanation for the temporary yellow x's. Hopefully they reverse this. 

 

"But the airport will remain in use for about a year by UNC Hospital Air Care for parking and refueling, under an agreement with the airport. The temporary arrangement will last as long as the hospital builds additional helipad space."

 

[tony]

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article210737729.html

sad end to the story.