Chapel Hill Airport impending closure

Cross posted from beechtalk/ Mooneyspace

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/...671299076?s=21

#savehorace

Thanks 

Brad