SENATE RESOLUTION Number 8

(By Senators Romano, Swope, Baldwin, Hamilton, Cline, Ihlenfeld, Lindsay, Palumbo, Stollings, and Jeffries)

[Introduced January 15, 2020]

Designating January 16, 2020, as Aviation Day at the Legislature.

Whereas, The history of aviation in West Virginia is nearing its 100-year anniversary; and

Whereas, Airports have played, and continue to play, a critical role in the state’s economic development as well as its response to natural disasters, medical emergencies, and search and rescue operations; and

Whereas, Affordable, reliable, and safe air service is integral to our communities, citizens, businesses, and state; and

Whereas, Growth in air service in West Virginia equates to increased economic development and vital funding for improvements to West Virginia’s airports and creates increased access to our state; and

Whereas, West Virginia airports, with strategic commercial air service, provide convenience to our state’s 1.8 million residents and the hundreds of thousands of visitors to our state annually; and

Whereas, General aviation airports open our state’s rural landscape to countless companies to conduct important business activities and often serve as hubs for community activities; and

Whereas, Studies of the economic impact of West Virginia’s airports have shown that these facilities contribute more than $2.5 billion to the state’s economy; and

Whereas, The West Virginia Aeronautics Commission, charged with promoting and expanding aviation in our state, is an agency of the West Virginia Department of Transportation; and

Whereas, The West Virginia Airport Managers Association represents commercial and general aviation airports and industry partners throughout the Mountain State; and

Whereas, West Virginia has 24 airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems: Seven commercial airports and 17 general aviation airports; and

Whereas, West Virginia has been a host to aircraft industries for more than 90 years, from the opening of a Fokker Aircraft plant in Marshall County in 1928, to advanced aviation and aerospace facilities now located and growing throughout the state, providing nearly 1,500 direct jobs in North Central West Virginia alone; and

Whereas, The State of West Virginia recognizes the critical role that aviation has played in our past and will play in our future; and

Whereas, Our state is committed to continue, through both private and public means, to expanding commercial air service, aerospace industries, and general aviation; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate hereby designates January 16, 2020, as Aviation Day at the Legislature; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the West Virginia Aeronautics Commission and the West Virginia Airport Managers Association.