HomeMy WebLinkAbout25.08.21 - Minutes, Hag Regional AirportHagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission
Meeting Minutes of August 21, 2025
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HAGERSTOWN REGIONAL AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes of the Open Meeting
August 21, 2025
The Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission (AAC) held a public meeting on Thursday,
August 21, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. at the Hagerstown Regional Airport Terminal Conference Room,
18434 Showalter Road, Hagerstown, Maryland.
Commission members present: Austin Colby (Chair), Curtis Berry (Vice Chair- via telecom),
Laurence Gross, Samuel Cool, George Meyer, and ex-Officio County Commissioner Randall
Wagner. County staff members present included: Andrew Eshleman (Director of Public Works), Neil
Doran (Airport Director), Eugene Bolanowski (Airport Operations & Security Manager), Jonathan
Horowitz (Director, Business Development), Tina Smith (Airline Station Leader), Giselle Butt
(Office Manager) and David Douglas (Administrative Assistant).
CALL TO ORDER
Austin Colby called the meeting to order on August 21, 2025, at 3:00 pm.
CITIZEN’S PARTICIPATION
Tom Riford, Vice President of Rider Jet Center (RJC), spoke about various events including
complimenting the airport staff with assisting RJC with being compliant with airfield driving rules.
HangarFest, the largest fundraiser for breast cancer awareness in four states, will be held on
September 20th at the Rider Jet Center (RJC). The 19th annual Aviation Education and Career Expo
will be held on November 7th at the RJC. It is the largest aviation career expo in the Mid-Atlantic. Up
to $190,000 in college scholarships are given out during the Expo. The Fairchild Aircraft 100th
Anniversary Homecoming celebration is being held from September 12th-14th at the Hagerstown
Aviation Museum (HAM). A Fairchild A-10 will be on display during the event. Wings and Wheels
will also be held during this time on September 13th. On September 22nd, HAM will acquire, for
permanent display, a retired Fairchild A-10 aircraft. On September 29th, the Regional Manufacturing
Institute will host the Voices of Manufacturing at HAM.
Also, present were John Barr (President of the Board of County Commissioner of Washington
County), Jim Kercheval (Executive Director of The Greater Hagerstown Committee (GHC), and Rob
Ferree.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Mr. Cool and seconded by Mr. Gross to approve the minutes of the July 10,
2025, meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission
Meeting Minutes of August 21, 2025
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COMMISSIONER UPDATE
Mr. Wagner, County Commissioner, provided his report, including on August 19th he attended
Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) graduation. There was a total of 25 graduates.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
Mr. Horowitz, Director of Business Development, provided the following updates:
➢ Attended the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Conference in Ocean City
from August 13th-16th.
➢ Planning is ongoing for Washington County’s 250th anniversary event that will be
held on July 4, 2026, at the Agriculture Education Center.
➢ A pharmaceutical manufacturer from India is moving into the old commissary
building at Fort Richie which will create 300 jobs and infuse over 35 million dollars
of capital investment into the area. Also, at Fort Richie a 100,000 sq. ft.
manufacturing building is being built that will create 200 jobs.
➢ Black and Decker is finalizing their Foreign Trade Zone activation
➢ Grand openings for:
o Veva’s on Potomac
o Willowood Washington County
o Painting with a Purpose
o Community Action Committee (CAC)
o Deigo’s World
AAC MEMBER UPDATES
Mr. Colby announced to the commission the passing of member George Stone on July 1st.
AIRPORT DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Neil Doran, Airport Director, provided his report including that the Advanced Air Mobility Council
will be holding their meeting at Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR) on October 6th. Governor
Moore may be in attendance. The kickoff meeting for the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) Siting
study was held on August 6th. The ShopHGR online store is now live. Mr. Doran and Mr. Eshleman
will go before the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County on Tuesday, August 26 to
recommend award of the East Side Terminal Building Expansion/Rehabilitation contract to Callas
Construction.
Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission
Meeting Minutes of August 21, 2025
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AIRLINE SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
Tim Seibert, a Volaire consultant, gave the commission a presentation on a proposed Air Carrier
Incentives Plan and Small Community Air Service Development (SCASD) grants. His presentation
included:
➢ State of the Domestic U.S. Airline Industry
o Economic Uncertainty Affecting Travel Demand
o Work Has Fundamentally Changed
▪ On-Site and remote
o Pilot Shortage has Abated Temporarily
o Industry Faces Other Work Force Challenges
▪ Shortage of air traffic controllers and maintenance techs
o All Airline Work Groups Are Making More
o Airline Industry 2Q 2025 Financial Results
▪ Profits are down
o Network Carriers Have Figured Out How to Compete with Ultra Low-Cost Carrire
(ULCCs)-
▪ Cabin segmentation
o Less Competition and Fewer Airlines to Work With
➢ Traffic Capture and Leakage Study
o What is a Leakage Study? Analyzes air traffic demand of a defined geographic area,
known as a “catchment area,” which a commercial airport can reasonably expect to
draw passengers
o Study catchment area and highlights of findings
▪ Total market size of 6,983,593 annual origin and destination (O&D)
passengers in the catchment area, translating into 9,540.4 Passengers Daily
Each Way (PDEW) which is 1.2% of all traffic
➢ Current Air Service in HGR Region
o Hagerstown Traffic Trends
▪ 2025 scheduled available seats up 10.2% over 2024 with the possibility of
exceeding 100,000 annual O&D passengers
➢ Building Air Service at HGR
o What Do Airlines Look For?
▪ Profitable levels of traffic
▪ Traffic & revenue should not dilute existing services at nearby airports –
interested in “net new” revenue
▪ Data- leakage study data, travel data from local companies, local economic
data not readily apparent in public sources
▪ Low airport costs
▪ Incentives
Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission
Meeting Minutes of August 21, 2025
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o Incentives for NEW Service
▪ Marketing
▪ Fee Waivers
▪ Minimum Revenue Guarantee
▪ Small Community Air Service Development (SCASD)
o Potential Targets for Additional HGR Air Service
▪ Additional service from Allegiant
▪ Another ULCC that compliments, that does not compete, with Allegiant
▪ Regional jet service to a major airline hub
▪ Branded bus service into airline network
ADJOURNMENT
Motion made to adjourn by Mr. Cool. Motion was seconded by Mr. Gross. The meeting was
adjourned at 5:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David Douglas, Administrative Assistant