Andrew Shorter, Airport Director, Coastal Carolina Regional Airport

In an interview with Invest:, Andrew Shorter, airport director of Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, discussed the airport’s recently completed terminal expansion, growing role in eastern North Carolina’s economy, and plans for aerospace development and future infrastructure. “We built this for where we are going, not just where we are today,” Shorter said.

What changes over the past year have had the greatest impact on the airport and its community?

We recently completed what became a three-year terminal improvement project, adding 10,000 square feet to the terminal and renovating another 19,000 square feet. We also added an aircraft gate, installed two new jet bridges for passenger boarding, improved compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and upgraded the facility with energy-efficient lighting and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

It was essentially a top-to-bottom renovation of the airport. We built this for where we are going, not just where we are today. These improvements were important because they prepare us for the next 20 years of airport operations rather than simply addressing today’s needs.

How are economic and market conditions affecting the airport’s strategy?

The terminal expansion was closely connected to what we have seen in the regional economy. We had support from the Federal Aviation Administration to increase the airport’s capacity and passenger throughput because, since the pandemic, the region has experienced net in-migration from the Northeast.

A primary driver of that migration has been adults between the ages of 55 and 74. That is a growing demographic in this market, and we want to be prepared to serve the region as it continues to expand.

For a small commercial airport, capacity and throughput are critical. We still have to make the case to the airlines for additional service, but our responsibility is to set the table. We do not want infrastructure or capacity limitations to become an impediment for an airline considering increased service.

How does the airport contribute to eastern North Carolina’s economy beyond air travel?

One of the great things about an airport is that people receive an economic benefit from it even if they do not fly. State-level studies have shown that the airport has generated as much as half a billion dollars, between $350 million and $500 million in annual economic impact.

We are also a self-sustaining facility. If someone is not using the airport, that person is not directly paying for it, but the broader community still benefits from the economic activity it supports.

One of our taglines is “close, convenient, connected.” The airport allows residents to fly from here while supporting people who have moved into the region and still need connections to where they came from.

We are the easternmost airport providing commercial service in North Carolina, and we serve as a regional hub for an area experiencing growth along the coast. We are proud to provide customer service and regional economic benefits through both commercial and general aviation.

Our general aviation activity is strong. Business aircraft frequently arrive carrying people who are meeting with economic development organizations and exploring investment opportunities. We like to say the airport is the front door of the community. If someone is considering a $100 million business investment, that person is more likely to arrive by aircraft than drive down U.S. Highway 70. That is why we work to keep the table set on both the commercial and general aviation sides.

How can stronger air access support tourism, investment, and talent attraction?

Since the pandemic, the airport has developed more destination potential. Breeze Airways recently passed its two-year anniversary of serving the airport, and that service supports inbound travel as much as outbound travel.

American Airlines connects us to Charlotte, which provides access to hundreds of additional destinations. Breeze has also given us nonstop service to Orlando and Hartford, Connecticut.

Those routes benefit both residents and visitors. We saw a strong Northeast signal after the pandemic. People visited the area and then decided they wanted to move here, so air access has supported both tourism and migration.

On the business side, we have been working on a new corporate aerospace development area. We recently leased 55 acres to FMR Aeronautical Properties LLC, which are working with county economic development officials to recruit aviation and aerospace businesses, including maintenance, repair, and overhaul operations.

We installed a taxi lane and a three-acre apron, and the development plan includes hangars of up to 60,000 square feet. Aviation and aerospace jobs in this field have an average annual income of approximately $75,000, about $30,000 above the median annual salary in this area.

Eastern North Carolina already has a significant aerospace presence. We have a large Marine Corps aviation base and a strong naval aviation presence that performs maintenance and overhaul work for the Navy and Marine Corps. That creates a natural workforce pipeline because many service members leave the military with valuable experience and want to remain in the area.

We are centrally located along the Eastern Seaboard, allowing aircraft from multiple states to come here for maintenance and overhaul work. We have made a substantial investment in the site using federal and state grants. The 55 acres are leased, and we are excited to see which company becomes the first major tenant.

How is the region strengthening its aviation workforce pipeline?

The local community college has an aviation program that trains aviation maintenance professionals for Federal Aviation Administration certification. Military personnel often leave the service with extensive experience but without the civilian license they need, so the community college helps bridge that gap.

We also have a flight school at the airport that trains pilots. While many people are familiar with the pilot shortage, there is also a shortage of aviation maintenance professionals. We are working to address both needs by connecting experienced military personnel with opportunities in the region.

How is the airport preparing for emerging aviation technologies?

A great deal of technological change will likely occur in the air traffic control space. There is a nationwide push to modernize that infrastructure, and we have received a Federal Aviation Administration grant to begin designing a new air traffic control tower.

As part of that process, a team created virtual representations of the tower from different potential locations around the airport. A preferred site was selected, and we are moving forward with design work this year. We hope to begin construction within the next few years.

Advanced air mobility will also be part of the future, and our goal is to remain prepared. With a new air traffic control tower and modern systems, we expect to be positioned to accommodate whatever technologies and operating requirements emerge.

Airports and airspace cannot stand still. If we are not moving forward, we are moving backward. We have to continue making positive progress.

What are the airport’s priorities over the next three to five years?

We want to remain prepared for continued in-migration and keep the stage set for growth. The terminal renovation included a larger apron, and we also built a new fire station within the past five years.

The airport has approximately 800 acres, so we need to ensure that decisions made today do not adversely affect what may be needed 20 or 30 years from now. We’re also advancing the Williams Road realignment, which has cleared environmental review and paves the way for a future runway extension, and we’ve secured an FAA design grant for a new air traffic control tower to replace the facility built in 1975. We will continue long-range planning while executing near-term projects.

The objective is to protect Coastal Carolina Regional Airport’s long-term competitive advantage and reinforce its role as the regional airport connecting people not only across the country but also around the world. Access to reliable air service has also become a critical factor in physician recruiting for our regional hospital system, reinforcing how the airport supports talent attraction across the region.

What distinguishes Coastal Carolina Regional Airport within North Carolina?

We are a small regional airport, and New Bern is only the 31st-most-populous city in the state, but we are one of North Carolina’s 10 commercial service airports. The other nine are located within the 15 most populous cities in the state.

We like to think we are punching above our weight because we are doing the planning and preparation necessary to reach the next level.

Ultimately, all of this work is for the community. The airport is here to provide a service, and we feel a tremendous responsibility to ensure it continues serving the region well into the future.

Our vision is to be the friendly airport in eastern North Carolina for residents and visitors. Along with planning and development, we want to maintain a personal customer-service touch. Travel does not always go according to plan, but we have a great team that works to make sure people still feel welcomed and leave with a positive impression of the airport.