While it sometimes feels like the only plane coming and going out of Easton Airport is the ever present single engine Cessna practising “touch and go” maneuvers, the truth of the matter is that the Talbot County’s air terminal is one of the busiest of its kind in the entire state. Last year, the airport handled 30,000 take-offs and 30,000 landings.
It is the homebase of twenty-four private jets as well as the base for Maryland Airlines charter service, a training center for United States Naval Academy cadets, and a critical hub for medical emergency and police aircraft for the Eastern Shore.
Slowly but surely, the airport is climbing its way back to pre-recession activity levels.
As the long-serving airport manager, Mike Henry, tells it, the airport is one of the great and least known economic engines for not only Talbot County but for the entire Mid-Shore region.
In his Spy interview, the former Vietnam helicopter veteran, TWA pilot, and FAA administrator talks about the airport’s significant track record in attracting and maintaining business and recreational aircraft, the economic impact of its operations, and his own history with the airport since arriving in 1993.
This video is six minutes in length
Kirk French Jr. says
It’s disingenuous to claim that they haven’t receive any tax dollars from Talbot County residents. They receive federal funding which comes from residents in Talbot County. They also get tax breaks just as every airport in the state does. I was at a county council meeting in February, and council president pack was upset (i don’t remember the exact wording) that the county had to pay to remove some areas of the airport because of FAA requirements (which is discussed in the video) I don’t intend this to be a letter to the editor just a comment on the video.
Robert Schulte says
Assuming that is true, many Talbot County residents who keep their aircraft there – including this one – pay significant Talbot County taxes. So…what is the issue?
Robert Schulte says
Mike Henry is an Easton treasure and our airport community most decidedly treasures Mike!
We would not be the community we are without him.
Thanks for all your hard work Mike and for giving our airplanes a beautiful home.