Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed August 15 – 22, 2020 South Carolina Aviation Week. South Carolina Aviation Association, in partnership with South Carolina Aeronautics Commission, is celebrating the week with social media outreach and small events that highlight the impact aviation has on economic development and educational initiatives.
South Carolina has six commercial service airports, 58 general aviation airports and five military airfields. Each of these facilities provide essential support to the state’s diversified business base through recreational flying, providing gateways to tourism, accommodating agricultural spraying, supporting air cargo and air freight shipments, helping law enforcement, supporting military operations, providing access in times of emergency and supporting medicine and healthcare.
The state’s aviation industry supports more than 122,000 jobs with an estimated annual payroll of $4.8 billion. Annually, at least $16.3 billion in economic activity can be traced to the state’s aviation.
In most years, Aviation Week includes many large-scale events held at airports around the state. The global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus has limited airport gatherings, though the following events are happening within the state, and health and safety guidelines will be observed:
- Saturday, August 15 – Beaufort County Airport celebrates it’s 75th anniversary with an open house.
- Saturday August 15 – Rock Hill-York County has planned the Tour de York aerial parade over points of interest in York County.
- Saturday, August 15 – Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport honors students in its Community Aviation Program throughout the day.
- Monday, August 17 – Fairfield County Airport introduces high school students to the essential career field of aviation with discovery flights.
- Thursday, August 20 – South Carolina Aeronautics Commission hosts a virtual commission meeting.
- Saturday, August 22 – Greenville Downtown Airport hosts a Foreign Object Damage (FOD) Walk to remove potentially hazardous debris.
- Saturday, August 22 – Ridgeland Claude Dean Airport hosts a Foreign Object Damage (FOD) Walk to remove potentially hazardous debris.
In addition to these events, South Carolina Aviation Week will feature social media outreach showcasing South Carolina airport users, aviation industry employers, aviation and aerospace education programs and more, including UPS, Lockheed Martin and South Carolina Center for Aeronautics at Trident Technical College.
South Carolina Aviation Week is a statewide celebration of the economic and education impact of airports and the aviation industry. Celebrated August 15 – 22, 2020, and centered around National Aviation Day on August 19, Aviation Week is planned in partnership by South Carolina Aviation Association (SCAA) and South Carolina Aeronautics Commission.
SCAA actively promotes and encourages aviation and airport development to meet air transportation needs and assist the state in achieving economic development goals. Its membership is comprised of airports and aviators across South Carolina, as well as aviation industry partners. For more information, please visit scaaonline.com.
