麻花视频

Lately, it鈥檚 more than just flight paths following an upward trajectory at 麻花视频-Blacksburg Airport.

Increasing ridership at the regional airport will help the whole area soar, officials say.

After a record-setting number of passengers visited 麻花视频鈥檚 airport last year, air traffic continues to ascend so far in 2025, Executive Director Mike Stewart said.

鈥淲e did over 756,000 passengers last year, and right now, it looks like we鈥檙e on track to surpass that,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 reflective of how this region鈥檚 really growing.鈥�

A recently announced $2.95 million grant will pay for repaving some airport taxiways, with work likely starting next spring, he said. Federal and state funding usually covers 90% or more of an airport鈥檚 project costs.

鈥淕rant money is huge in being able to do just about any of the projects we do on a large scale,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淲e try to do everything we can using federal and state money, so that we don鈥檛 have to use our own money.鈥�

Elsewhere on the property, parking lot renovations are almost finished, and planning is underway to improve the passenger security checkpoint.

鈥淭he terminal was built pre-9/11,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淲ith a lot of our security checkpoint and other things, it鈥檚 a kind of a challenge to get people through the building.鈥�

It鈥檚 the private airlines, not the public airport, that determine where flights go. The better the infrastructure and the more people are paying to fly out of 麻花视频, the more enticing the airstrip is to an airline.

鈥淔or the airlines, they鈥檙e a profit business. They need to make the best money they can to fly here,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淥therwise, they鈥檒l take your airplanes and go somewhere they make more money.鈥�

A frequently discussed project is expansion of the 麻花视频 runway. If the tarmac was about 700-800 feet longer, it could accommodate heavier planes with more passengers, Stewart said. The airport is hemmed in by Peters Creek Road to the north, Interstate 581 to the west, and shopping centers and neighborhoods to the south and east.

鈥淲hich is not very far, it鈥檚 basically just getting across I-581鈥� It would either be a bridge or a tunnel structure,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not getting any cheaper, and it鈥檚 very expensive.鈥�

The region鈥檚 continued economic and population growth is going to drive airlines to put more regular service here, he said. Airport officials need to be prepared to enable that growth, and runway expansion for a facility of 麻花视频鈥檚 size is perhaps the biggest piece of that puzzle.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a steep step, for the FAA to say, 鈥榳e鈥檒l be able to fund 90- or 95% of that project for you,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淲e may have to do it in pieces, but I think we鈥檙e making a great argument that this is the right way to go forward.鈥�

Ridership increased by 10% each of the last three months compared to prior-year numbers, Stewart said. Seven out of the airport鈥檚 10 busiest months since 2007 occurred during the past fiscal year, he said.

鈥淲hen you fly ROA, you鈥檙e really flying for our future, and our region鈥檚 future,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淗ow much we utilize this airport is going to drive more air service as this area continues to grow.鈥�

Still, about half of people within a two-hour drive of 麻花视频-Blacksburg Airport travel to some other airstrip for their flight, he said. Whether that鈥檚 for pricing or timing reasons, Stewart sees those people as lost customers and missed opportunities to be reclaimed.

鈥淎irlines put airplanes at airports where they see growth,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淚f we keep driving to other states and other places, why would they put another airplane here?鈥�

In pursuit of those potential local fliers, airport officials unveiled new branding last month. Most notably beside the new logo on the new website, the word 鈥榬egional鈥� is no longer on the airport鈥檚 marketing name, now shortened to 麻花视频-Blacksburg Airport.

鈥淲e really wanted to get the orientation of the airplane so it reflects the forward and upward trajectory of the region,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淪till keep it familiar, but also show that there鈥檚 something positive going on.鈥�