Josh Pusser, Airport Director, Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport

In an interview with Invest:, Josh Pusser, airport director of Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport, discussed the airport’s role in supporting business connectivity, cargo movement, disaster relief, and long-term aviation-focused development. “We have to look at things like electric aircraft, and build out our facilities to match future needs, and not just current needs,” Pusser said.

What have been some significant changes at Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport over the past year?

We have made strides in presenting our airport to larger aircraft. We were able to receive two aircraft from Johnson & Johnson, which is building a relatively large facility here. We have also been able to support presidential and vice-presidential movements in the past year.

This year, we had one of the most famous World War II aircraft come and stay for a couple of weeks. It was a B-29 bomber, and there are only two flying in the world. It was the largest bomber of that era.

We are also maintaining what we have. Coming up, we have maintenance to our runway to keep it in good shape, as well as repainting some markings and doing the things needed to ensure that, as more and larger aircraft come in, we have the facilities they need.

What impact do you expect those investments to have on business activity and future growth opportunities?

The investments we are making are helping with cargo, so we expect to expand on that. When companies such as Firestone, Cummins Diesel, or pharmaceutical companies have a machine go down or get behind on shipping out product, we are able to meet that need. They do not have to go to Raleigh. They can bring large aircraft in here and haul freight out. That is probably one of our biggest concentrations right now: making sure we expand to be able to handle cargo-type aircraft 24/7.

A lot of times, an airport this size is not able to accommodate those aircraft. Even if the facilities are able to, they may not have the staffing to handle those operations 24/7 as we do.

How does the airport help strengthen the region’s competitiveness and attract investment, talent, and new industries?

We recently met with a local investor who is building an industrial park. He is excited that, when his customers are up and running, they will have the ability to fly in here and be within a few minutes’ drive of their facility. 

We also completed an extensive feasibility study on expanding our airport to have more of a global transport role because we are close to rail and the interstate. That is something we are starting to market.

How is technology shaping aviation, and how is the airport adapting?

About a month ago, I had a meeting with a relatively new company in the electric aircraft market. They are looking at being able to provide what I would call a feeder route for UPS or FedEx. Right now, an aircraft may pick up packages from a rural area and get them to Raleigh, and that is done with conventional aircraft. What they have asked us to look into, and possibly partner with them on, is having a station where they can land and charge the aircraft.

That means looking at our grid capabilities, the layout of our facility, and a location for them to park. We also have to consider whether their pilots can have the facilities they need for flight planning and weather delays. We are looking at the electric future of aircraft and how we can serve those needs as well.

What role do partnerships with local governments, economic development organizations, and other institutions play in advancing the airport’s long-term vision?

We are sponsored by three counties and two municipalities. Our airport authority, our governing board, is made up of appointees from the city of Wilson and the city of Rocky Mount, as well as Edgecombe, Nash, and Wilson counties. 

Partnering with those five entities is huge. We have to make sure we are meeting the needs of those individual municipalities, gaining their support, and also supporting and helping them grow and meet the needs of people looking to invest in the area.

On a larger scale, we work with the North Carolina Division of Aviation. We are a prime location for disaster relief. During Hurricane Helene in the western part of the state, we were a good meeting point for bringing supplies in from the East Coast.

We have the space for larger aircraft, so smaller aircraft could bring in donations and supplies, and then larger aircraft could take them out to the western part of the state. We are far enough away from the coast to usually avoid the damage, but close enough for search and rescue to base out of here. During Helene, our power did not go out, so we had fueling abilities, runway lights, and backup power. We have been instrumental in search and rescue and disaster relief.

Looking ahead, what are your top priorities for the airport, and what opportunities will have the greatest impact on the region over the next three to five years?

One of our priorities would be corporate area development. Right now, there is not a lot of space for corporations to base an aircraft or have that type of presence.

We are building an 8,000-square-foot hangar, which is for relatively smaller aviation programs or corporate departments, but it is a start. We have about 11 acres that we are looking to develop. That would probably house up to 12,000-square-foot hangars, which can accommodate most medium and smaller corporate flight departments.

We also have about nine acres that we would like to market to an MRO, which is maintenance and repair, or a small business that needs direct access to the airport. Maybe it is a small cargo operation, or maybe it is a feeder route for FedEx or UPS. Over the next three to five years, we are looking at developing those facilities.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We are relying on economic development departments and those partnerships to go after the opportunities they see. A lot of companies that need an airport, or need something near an airport, want something shovel-ready. If you say, I have 10 acres over here that could be developed, but it does not have an environmental plan or a site plan, now we are talking years into the future to have it ready. Frankly, they are not going to wait on that if an airport in Texas has 11 acres ready to build on and has already had all the environmental studies and feasibility studies completed.

We have to work with our economic partners to understand the trends and what businesses are looking for, so that we take the land we have and use it in the right way to attract these businesses. Most airports eventually run into a situation where they are landlocked or do not have developable land, so we have to make sure what we do have is geared toward aviation.

We do not want to give up the facilities we have for non-aviation-related items, which has come back to hurt some airports when they have made those decisions in the past. Looking at the future, we have to make sure we are on the right track for current business needs. We have to look at things like electric aircraft and build out our facilities to match future needs, and not just current needs.