Nic Diehl, Executive Director of the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport, provided an update on the airport at Monday’s Region 9 meeting, commenting on the facility’s growth and the future .

“We have been very busy at the airport,” said Diehl.

He said a number of projects have been started and completed in recent years, including renovating the first floor of a building, and that there has been an increase in traffic at the airport, causing the facility’s second busiest airport in the state. Morgantown Airport has held the title of busiest for several decades.

“During this pandemic, we’ve actually seen an increase in traffic versus a decrease,” he said.

Diehl gave the example of Charleston Airport going from 16,000 to 17,000 operations during the year, while EWVRA went from 29,000 to nearly 46,000 in the same year. He explained that while the facility would like to see commercial services, these have not worked in its favor during the pandemic, as the local facility is the largest in the state.

Diehl credited the airport’s quality partners, like Region 9, as the reason it has enjoyed growth and success in recent years.

He noted that several new businesses have joined the facility over the past few years, and that it continues to feed on small plots, as well as finding ways to bring more businesses to the air side and to sell larger plots.

“We are working very hard to try to create new life in the airport,” Diehl said. “With the support of many of you at the table and in the room, we’ve been able to do quite a bit and look forward to continued growth. “

Jefferson County Development Authority executive director Dennis Jarvis asked if there was a review of funds and infrastructure surrounding the increase in electric vehicles and similar green transportation methods. Diehl said the airport recently purchased an electric vehicle with a grant from a previous year and the facility expects solar charging stations to be available by early next year. Other charging stations are also on the way, he said.

Charles Town Mayor Bob Trainor asked about the possibility of bringing commercial services to the regional airport, which Diehl said could be a possibility later.

“The FAA provides certain areas with a number of commercial services, mostly golden tickets,” Diehl said. “Hagerstown has had one for years. Hagerstown has maintained its trade certificate. The city and county have invested about $ 1 million per year for about 13 years to try to maintain this commercial service. “

He went on to say that the airport did not meet the minimum number of travelers required by the FAA in those years, with the facility ultimately losing service a few years ago.

“I foresee that in the next 20 to 40 years, which seems like a long time, but time flies, I think we will be in a place where it will make sense to attempt commercial service from our airport” said Diehl.

He concluded by commenting on the expenses related to the maintenance of commercial services and the use of the airport by airlines. Diehl said, in essence, that the facilities have to pay airlines to use their space, adding that there are about 12 commercial airports within a 90-mile radius of the regional airport.