Air traffic and fuel sales are up at Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU), the busiest general aviation airport in South Carolina, signaling expectations of a turnaround.
In 2011, air traffic at the Greenville Downtown Airport rose 6% over the year ending 2010, reports Joe Frasher, airport director. “In 2010, GMU had 55,267 operations, which are counted as either a takeoff or a landing. In 2011, GMU had 58,537 operations,” he added. “I am happy to see us regain some of the traffic that was lost during the last few years of economic decline.”
Greenville Jet Center sold 5% more aviation fuel in 2011 than in 2010, according to Hank Brown, owner of the FBO, which provides all the aviation fuel at the Greenville Downtown Airport. “In 2010, we sold 828,572 gallons and in 2011 sales rose to 864,862 gallons,” he said. “We still have a ways to go, but I sure am glad it looks like we are on the upswing!”
“While we can’t pinpoint exactly what has caused 2011 to be a better year than 2010, we do know that in hard economic times aviation is the first to be hit and the last to recover,” Frasher said. “Hopefully this means that the economy is improving. We could all use some good news going into 2012.”
GMU is home to 26 aviation-related businesses creating 453 jobs that annually contribute more than $35.2 million to the local economy.
For more information: GreenvilleDowntownAirport.com or 864-242-4777
