In July 2019, the Middle Georgia Regional Airport passed 10,000 enplanements for the year, a major milestone for airports offering passenger service that will lead to significantly increased federal funds. (Enplanements are the number of people that board a flight at the airport.)
 
Between Contour Airlines’ service to Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) and charter flights to the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, MS, the Middle Georgia Regional Airport generated a total passenger movement number of 20,126, which reflects boarding and returning. This is two months earlier than 2018, when the milestone was passed the milestone in September.
 
“Each year, more and more people are taking advantage of the services at Middle Georgia Region Airport, and we’re looking forward to these numbers continuing to increase,” says Airport Manager Erick D’Leon.
 
Currently, the Airport receives about $150,000 in federal funds for capital projects and passing the 10,000-enplanement mark will make it eligible to receive more than $1 million. Those funds would become available in 2020, at the earliest. With the additional federal funds, less money will be needed from the General Fund to cover the airport’s list of capital improvement projects, such as the runway extension.  
 
The Airport has made other major announcements, including several new industries locating their like Embraer and Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems, and a new partnership with Central Georgia Technical College
 
Embraer brought heavy maintenance operations for their commercial jet aircraft to one of the large hangars. Embraer, the leading manufacturer of commercial jets up to 150 seats, committed last summer to a three-year lease agreement with three one-year options. Embraer is employing 200 people at the facility, with an estimated $4.5 million in payroll annually. Additionally, they will be investing $1.6 million into the facility and operation.
 
Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems – a leading aircraft maintenance provider based out of Greenville, SC – has brought large cabin aircraft operations to the Airport by beginning work in a 48,000 square foot facility. This partnership represented a $1,000,000 private investment and is creating up to 150 new jobs with an average pay of $28 per hour. The company has committed to a three-year lease agreement with two five-year options.