The Manassas City Council unanimously approved a franchise agreement with Avports, LLC, to bring commercial passenger jet service to the city’s regional airport.
“We have to be ready for growth, for the businesses that want to locate here, and for the businesses that are already here,” said Mayor Michelle Davis Younger.
The Manassas City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. today, Monday, July 24, 2023, to decide whether or not to allow commerce airline service from the city’s regional airport.
The jets would carry nearly 200 passengers and fly to destinations, including Florida, providing new options for travelers headed to and from the Washington, D.C. area. As many as 30 flights a day could operate from the airport, which is already Virginia’s largest general aviation airport.
WTOP-FM: “Manassas, Virginia-based drone maker RapidFlight has acquired the intellectual property rights from bankrupt autonomous vehicle maker Local Motors for an undisclosed sum. The Phoenix-based Local Motors shut down in March 2022.”
“RapidFlight, founded in 2021, builds high-performance drones for national security and private sector needs.”
Thousands of small airports across the country would be expressing gratitude for any air service planning to come to their facility. Air transportation is a major employer, providing vital economic benefits and boasting high occupancy rates. Air transportation is a major contributor to the economy, bringing in outside businesses and consumers.
The economic impact and social benefits of bringing commercial air flights are too innumerable to list, but what can be summarized is that bringing tourism and trade to any new area will foster the growth of that area significantly.
The Center Square: “It’s uncertain how a May bill proposing further deregulation of Reagan National Airport will fare, but there are other efforts currently underway in Virginia that could offer more options for travelers to the capital region.”
“Manassas Regional Airport is discussing a possible expansion with airport management company Avports that would allow it to start offering commercial flights. Avports would lease the airport grounds and build a 35,000-square-foot addition, which could ultimately facilitate up to 30 commercial passenger flights per day.”
Press release: “At the June 15, 2023 Meeting of the Manassas Regional Airport Commission, Ross Snare was elected Chairman, becoming the first Chairman in the Airport’s history to be a [Prince William County] resident, as well as being the youngest to serve in the role.”
“I am deeply honored to have been elected Chairman. This is a very exciting time not just for the airport but for the region. This airport is an amazing economic engine and I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners, the amazing airport and city and county staffs, as well as our elected leaders on furthering its future growth,” Snare stated.”
Electra press release: “Electra today unveiled the test vehicle for its hybrid-electric ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft, the first of its kind, marking a significant milestone in Electra’s mission to help decarbonize aviation and revolutionize urban and regional transportation. The bright yellow aircraft is named the Electra Model EL-2 “Goldfinch” in celebration of the beloved, nimble American Goldfinch bird indigenous to North America.”
“Electra’s eSTOL technology demonstrator (TD) is the world’s first blown lift aircraft using distributed electric propulsion, which enables the airplane to take off and land in very short spaces. Electra’s proprietary blown lift technology uses eight motors to provide additional wing lift, and hybrid-electric power that provides internal recharging capabilities for aircraft batteries, eliminating the need for new ground infrastructure.”
