COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Brian Jones

Columbus-Lowndes County Airport (off of Hwy 69) reports that they have seen a 200% jump in Summertime air traffic over this same time just as couple of years ago. This is, in large part, thanks to Fixed Base Operator Dan Dunston and his crew: “A lot of that is just because somebody is here to provide good service when people fly in,” he said. “We’re starting to get a lot of repeat customers. . . They’re flying coast-to-coast and our airport, like (Golden Triangle Regional Airport), is right underneath a major airway,” he went on to say. “There’s less traffic here (compared to GTRA), so it’s easy to get in and out of.”

In order to help build upon that success, officials are seeking nearly $2 million in FAA grant funding, to be used to repave the 20-year-old runway at the airport.

Their clients include a broad variety of pilots – everything from medical aircraft to forestry to private fliers. Also, they are an official FAA testing site, Duston said: “As of April, pilots and student pilots who need to take a written FAA knowledge exam can take it here. That’s great for us, because the next closest (testing area) is 100 miles away. Anybody at (Raspet Flight Research Laboratory at Mississippi State University) or in law enforcement can come here to take drone tests, for example.”

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/columbus-lowndes-county-airport-sees-200-bump-in-traffic/