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Thanks to its commitment to growth and excellence, the Lawrenceburg-Lawrence County Airport was named Airport of the Year at the Tennessee Aviation Association (TAA) conference on February 24.

One of the state’s 76 public airports, regardless of size, is chosen for the honor each year. Votes are cast by members of the Tennessee Aviation Commission and the TDOT (TN Dept. of Transportation) Aeronautics Division.

I was honored to help accept the award on behalf of County Government and the Commission, which approved a loan in October 2024 supporting construction of the airport’s largest hangar.

Commissioners voted to loan the Airport Board $1 million for the 100’x120’ facility, which is set to open this month. Board chair Jill Gowen said this hangar is the first to offer enough space, and a large enough door, to accommodate corporate jets.

This is the first expansion of hangar space at the airport since 2016, and the need to store small aircraft and larger corporate jets continues to grow. Available storage space and airport access are factors companies consider when they’re looking to invest in a community.

Gowen said the Airport Layout Plan, developed with its engineering firm and TDOT Aeronautics, shows much room for growth. By comparison, the Maury County Regional Airport at Mt. Pleasant is at 100% capacity.

“There’s room for 15-20 more hangars. Hopefully our new construction will start a spiral effect,” she said. “Businesses and industries could even build hangar space for their own aircraft.”

There’s also room for onsite construction of industries that rely on immediate access to airport services. It’s already used for just-in-time deliveries to and from local companies. “A lot of people don’t realize how many fly in and out, delivering parts,” Gowen said. “There are business owners who live outside Tennessee but store their planes here while they’re doing business in Lawrence County. We also serve the needs of crop dusters who serve our agricultural community”

The recent reconstruction of the airport’s self-serve fueling area was grant funded. The new “fuel farm” features larger tanks and a concrete pad that makes access easier, and fueling faster, for aircraft of all sizes, added Airport Manager Doug Smith.

Smith has served as manager for 15 years. He said one of the first, most impactful improvements during his tenure was clearing runway approaches to meet federal and state requirements for instrument-led landings. “It was a several years-long process and involved buying and developing property to the north and south,” he said.

Increased traffic and improvements make the airport eligible for more grant funding. “We had numerous meetings with TDOT about this newest hangar, and the ability to serve larger aircraft,” Gowen said. “We fought for our projects, and TDOT Aeronautics know we are focused on taking care of our airport and making it great.”

In addition to Gowen, members of the Board are Kaleb Ruddle, Leon Everett, Landon Saunders, Eric Saliba, and Steve Frisbie. The county appoints three members to the board (currently Gowen, Ruddle, and Everett) and the city appoints three. Smith and bookkeeper Maria Santini are airport staff members.