Business Development

From snubbed to cherished...

After nearly 50 years, people are finally beginning to pay attention to Northeast Georgia Regional Airport

By Jason Taylor

Despite a 50-mile separation, it’s conceivable that Barrow County, Georgia, like its suburban brethren, will eventually be devoured by Atlanta’s ravenous sprawl. Or maybe the once unassuming Northeast Georgia tract, which in the past five years has seen half a dozen industrial firms take root along Highway 316, the area’s major corridor, will pounce first. Not so fast, say the voices in between. Either way, one of the biggest beneficiaries of this progression has been the Northeast Georgia Regional Airport (WDR).

Even decades following the airport’s completion in the 1940s, most of Barrow’s residents figured WDR to be little more than a hangout for country-boy pilots and crop dusters. They saw little purpose in devoting attention, not to mention tax dollars, to the facility.

Interest finally started picking up about five years ago. Until then it appeared as if WDR would remain a stagnant fixture among Barrow’s more relevant extensions like the Chateau Elan Winery, Fort Yargo State Park or even Road Atlanta.

Better late than never

Like many World War II-era airports, WDR wasn’t built with commerce in mind. Fortunately, explains past Airport Director Tim Whitman, the county commissioners understood the airport’s potential impact on the community. “It’s taken a little while, but we’re finally seeing a willingness to put money into the airport and make this a business tool available for the whole county.”

“Nobody really liked [the airport] for the longest time,” adds Sammy Everett, chairman of Northeast Georgia Regional Airport, who today sees WDR as an up-and-coming infrastructure for the county. “There’s a genuine excitement among a lot of people now. They know everything we’re trying to do with it and that we’re going in the right direction.”

The positive outlook stems in part from the airport authority’s philosophy of treating WDR like a business. “We look at our tenants as corporate partners, whereas most airports would treat them simply as tenants,” says Whitman. “We feel like if our corporate partners succeed, then we will too.”

WDR occupies approximately 360 acres, 180 of which remain developable. Whitman and Everett are among many who are eager to see the airport continue to expand. However, neither wants the expansion to upset those in the community. 

“It’s very important to maintain open lines of communication between us and the community,” says Whitman. “We obviously want to develop the airport, but we don’t want to do it negatively. We have to take into consideration compatible land use and compatible development around the airport.”

In addition to developing a 20-year master plan, the airport authority has approved several modifications to the airport, including the installation of an ILS and a taxiway extension project, both of which should be finished by the end of 2005.

Recently completed projects include $750,000 in lighting and signage upgrades, an automated weather observation station and a retention pond for future development. Future plans call for the extension of the primary runway (13/31) from 5,500 feet to 7,000 feet. (5/23 is the crosswind runway and measures 3,610 feet by 100 feet.)

Once the ILS is installed, Whitman expects even more people will begin to realize WDR’s potential as an economic asset for the county. With a focus on providing a high level of service, the airport’s next step might be adding commercial service via one of the smaller airline carriers.

“There’s no reason to think it won’t happen,” says Whitman. “Look around and you see that more businesses are locating here, not only because of the growth that’s headed up the 316 corridor, but because we have a nice airport and it’s extremely accessible to a variety of aircraft.”

The partners

The joint-use facility is currently home to 20 National Guard helicopters and over 150 business and private aircraft. With a location outside Class B airspace, WDR experiences little congestion,  making it a perfect place to learn to fly.

Flight School of Barrow County (770-868-2919 or www.theflightschool.com/fly) has been training pilots at WDR for more than three years. Out of all the students who have graduated from the Cessna Pilot Center program, none compare to the ones who arrived courtesy of Delta Air Lines.

Through the Organization of Black Airline Pilots, Inc., Delta has helped fund an effort to teach inner city children how to fly. “We’ve soloed two dozen children in the past two years,” says Paula Cash, president and co-owner of the flight school. “It’s been an amazing experience, and Delta’s footed the entire bill.”

A few years ago, Owen Battle obtained his pilots license and promptly recognized a lack of hangar space around most airports. He soon left the home building industry and started Air Battle, Inc. (770-231-5053), a hangar leasing and construction business. Already a veteran of nearly two dozen hangar projects, Air Battle is currently in the process of completing several new corporate and light corporate hangars.  

Romanair (770-867-4001) is the airport’s FBO. Services include fuel, aircraft maintenance, catering and aviation accessories. Rave Aviation (770-867-3105) offers maintenance, avionics sales and service and aircraft detailing.

Stop by the Spitfire Deli (770-867-0086 or www.spitfiredeli.com) and try their corned beef Reuben or crispy chicken salad. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, weather permitting.    

Development sites are available at WDR.
Please contact the airport director's office for more information.

(770) 307-3013
Email: wdrairport@wdrairport.com

Map of future airport development.
Click to open the full sized picture in .pdf format.