Hollywood, MD – It was an almost perfect fall day, with the air crisp and clear, as the bright yellow single engine tandem seat World War II training aircraft taxied to its parking spot. As the propeller spun to a stop, St. Mary’s County Commissioner Todd Morgan climbed out of the front open cockpit and announced “it’s a great day for flying!” as he stepped off the wing to the ground. That sentiment seemed to be on the minds of the aviation-minded adult and children visitors steadily streaming to the airport for a ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday morning, Oct. 15.
The event was more like a mini-airshow in that there were several aircraft on display for those attending to get an up-close and personal look. Like Art Nall’s Sea Harrier, which is the only one of its kind flying, his L-39 jet, the Boeing Stearman, were among the almost dozen aircraft brought out for the public. Maryland State Police Trooper 7 even added to the airshow feel when it returned to St. Mary’s from a medevac flight.
A little after 10, Ken Reed, managing partner of S. Hunt Aero, took to the podium and announced the “changes about to happen at the airport may be the biggest change for the county in a long time.”
Reed spoke about GT Aviation, a new flight training school, scheduled to open in the near future, Patuxent Aero Solutions Patuxent Aero Solutions will officially open its expanded 12,000-square-foot facility which will provide engineering and fabrication services from the growing St. Mary’s County Regional Airport campus, as well as aircraft hangars, University of Maryland Unmanned Autonomous Systems (UAS) Test Site and the Incubator building.
He added how important developing the west end, runway extension or the Lawrence Hayden Road end, for larger facilities to house more businesses that could benefit from airport access. Reed noted that these facilities do not necessarily have to be aviation-related, but they will be important for the county.
Chris Kaselemis, director of Economic Development, stated “an incubator leases office space to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The firms are offered affordable office space, management training, mentoring, marketing support and access to capital resources. The incubator will focus on commercialization of Navy technology and Unmanned Autonomous Systems (UAS) work.”
St. Mary’s County is a peninsula with no interstate, no rail, and no port facilities to move people, parts and pieces. Therefore, the expansion could make the airport critical to businesses that would potentially operate there. For example, there are charter flights that arrive and depart from St. Mary’s on a fairly regular basis with management teams from national chains such as Leggett’s, J.C. Penney’s and recently Weis Markets as well as defense contractors.
Reed also extended a big thank you the approximately 100 contractors, consultants, and local businesses that played a part in making this facility expansion a reality. He closed his remarks with a comment about the new taxiway between hangar buildings N and P. He noted “This taxiway will provide a straight aircraft access route into the newly completed hangar area and the future technology incubator.”
The ribbon cutting to officially open the new taxiway was conducted between the nose of the Sea Harrier and the L-39. Tim Wilson, a retired Navy officer, believes the changes taking place at St. Mary’s airport “are a good thing. It will definitely help the county to diversify” with respect to economic development.
In addition to Todd Morgan, Commissioners’ President Randy Guy, former Commissioners President Jackie Russell and former Commissioner Joe Anderson attended the ribbon cutting.
Light refreshments were served and drawings were held for a 30-minute helicopter ride in a Robinson R-44, introductory 1-hour flight in a Cessna 182, a 30-minute flight in the Stearman and a glider flight.
