October 24, 1999|By Robert Little | Robert Little,SUN STAFF
Also, every regional airport with a few dozen planes means fewer planes flying into the crowded airspace at BWI. While BWI has a thriving general aviation business of its own, state officials want to keep the traffic spread throughout the state, not concentrated near its busiest airport.
But state officials also talk of bigger payoffs for regional airports: the potential business they can attract to a community.
State officials acknowledge that economic development occurs more naturally at cities with large airports. The Maryland Aviation Administration is studying plans to subsidize a scheduled passenger service connecting BWI to airports in Cumberland, Hagerstown and St. Mary's County -- places where a customer base of military officials and business executives already exists.
But even the smallest airports get some tourist traffic, particularly those around the Eastern Shore, the Annapolis area and the western counties. Mundie said many of the "recreational" aircraft in Maryland also serve some business-related purpose, be it aerial photography or sky diving or crop dusting.
"There is the perception that this is just a hobby for rich people," said Mundie. "But you'll find that for much of the equipment you see it's not a hobby, it's a business."
Maryland's Public Airports
1. Baltimore Airpark
2. BWI
3. Bay Bridge Airport
4. Bennett Airport
5. Cambridge/Dorchester Co.
6. Carroll Co./ Jack B. Poage
7. Clearview Airpark
8. College Park Airport
9. Crisfield/Somerset Co. Airport
10. Davis Airport
11. Easton/Newnam Field
12. Essex Skypark
13. Fallston Airport
14. Frederick Municipal
15. Freeway Airport
16. Garrett Co. Airport
17. Greater Cumberland Rgl. 18. Harford Co. Airport
19. Hagerstown Regional Aiport
20. Havre de Grace Seaplane Base
21. Lee Airport
22. Martin State
24. Maryland Airport
25. Mexico Farms Airport
26. Montgomery Co. Airpark
27. Ocean City Municipal Airport
28. Potomac Airfield
29. Raintree Airpark
30. Ridgely Airpark
31. St. Mary's Co. Airport
32. Salisbury-O.C. : Wicomico Rgl. 33. South River Seaplane Base
34. Suburban Airport
35. Tipton Airport
36. Washington Executive/Hyde Field
