The Lawrence County Airport in Chesapeake has a new operator.

Friday, February 01, 2002

The Lawrence County Airport in Chesapeake has a new operator.

Lawrence County Commissioners signed an agreement yesterday with Attitude Aviation, Inc., who will take over as the Fixed Base Operator for the airport that has been ran by volunteers for a little over a year.

The company is headed by Nelson Whitt of Huntington, W.Va. and Marie Phillips of Wayne County, W.Va.

County Commissioner Paul Herrell said the transfer of the airport’s operation is good for the county.

"We need to keep an airport," Herrell said.

Under terms of the agreement, the operators plan on developing the airport in three phases.

Under the first phase, Phillips said, the group proposes to build and equip a maintenance hanger for regular airplane maintenance, inspections and airplane restoration. Phillips said the hanger will be 85 feet by 74 feet and should be constructed within three months.

The second phase of the project provides rental planes for flight training and coordinating training schedules between students and flight instructors. Phillips said the flight school should be open in the next few weeks.

The final phase of the project provides planes for charter services and market that service to the Tri-State.

The operators took over the airport today. Phillips said she is excited about the opportunities the airport could open for the community.