The Georgetown County Airport is located on Highway 17 just a few miles south of historic Downtown Georgetown. Receiving and servicing corporate jets, private charters, emergency service aircraft, and smaller private planes, this critical piece of County infrastructure is growing at a pace that would surprise many residents and guests of Georgetown County and the larger Lowcountry. The bustling facility – frequently, upwards of thirty flight plans are serviced each day! – brings a wide variety of opportunities to our area. At well more than $20 million a year, its economic impact is significant – and then some!
The 645-acre general aviation airport currently has a 6,000 linear foot runway that accommodates very large aircraft, as well as a secondary runway about 4,500 feet long, and a tertiary decommissioned runway. Because it is situated midway between Charleston’s history and the hustle of Myrtle Beach, Georgetown serves as the southern anchor of the Grand Strand and a perfect gateway for accommodating vacationing travelers, and business-related traffic and as a destination airport for the area’s numerous upscale communities. Many executives live locally because they can easily fly elsewhere for professional demands. Conversely, those who have home bases in a different place find it easy to come and go maximizing the enjoyment of secondary homes on the Hammock Coast.
The third, decommissioned runway at the airport is fairly exploding with activity. The county and Seven Rivers Aviation, the airport’s full-service Fixed Base Operator, have worked hard at developing, enhancing, and managing airport facilities to support continued growth and demand. Multiple aviation-related, limited-use commercial parcels are under lease and the number continues to climb. Sherpa, a major company that provides strategic engineering and technical services to commercial and governmental organizations, was one of the first and biggest. Nearly seventy aircraft are already based here, and new hangars – large and small – are in the works. Charter business is soaring (pardon the pun). And other related businesses – like those specializing in the interior customization of planes and all sorts of aircraft maintenance – are setting up shop. Airport Manager, Jim Taylor, calls year-to-year growth “simply amazing.”
In summary, the Georgetown County Airport is a county cornerstone of which to be proud. It delivers an ever-growing roster of job opportunities, supports the tourism and real estate industries, stimulates, and sustains the broader geographic area’s “big business” prospects, and affords significant sources of tax revenue. This revenue is used to fund various projects and programs in the county, including infrastructure development, education, and public safety. As the airport continues to grow and expand, it will remain central to sustaining a brand of economic development that keeps Georgetown County flying high.
For more information about the Georgetown County Airport call Airport Manager, Jim Taylor, at 843-545-3638. The website address is GeorgetownCountyAirport.com. If you want info about the airport’s day-to-day management, Sever Rivers Aviation (SeverRiversAviation.com) is the Fixed Base Operator that operates all the comings and goings at the airport. You can call them at 843-527-7516.
