Airports are fast-paced, always in motion, ever-evolving to keep pace with customer needs and changes in the airline industry. Comprised primarily of a runway, a terminal building, a public safety facility, and a bevy of additional buildings and parking lots, an airport is an important infrastructure where many independent businesses operate. These businesses are our partners in the quest to serve the air traveler, and while the airlines are our most recognized partners, our customers are also served by others like general aviation providers, concessionaires, rental car operators, the FAA and the TSA.

We work in tandem — and make plans together — all with the goal of ensuring that our community’s air travel needs are met.

Certainly, airports are hubs of activity around-the-clock, every day of the year. And 2011 at Asheville Regional Airport is no exception. 2011 was a year of growth and change. It was a year of long-term planning, and a time for more immediate opportunity.

What’s more, 2011 was the airport’s 50th year of serving Western North Carolina, a milestone with a hefty “umph” that reminds us of the foresight of long ago leaders, and of the responsibility on our shoulders to diligently plan for the next 50 years.
The hub of excitement ever-present at our airport symbolizes the importance of Asheville Regional Airport to the vitality of our region. We welcome travelers to our beautiful mountains every day, and we usher our friends and neighbors to the far reaches of the world and back home again. More and more travelers are passing through our doors, and we’re ready to welcome them.

There is much to highlight about our 50th year, and we’ve chosen to share the most noteworthy accomplishments in a unique way.

Join us on a 24/7, 365-day journey at Asheville Regional Airport, enjoy a recap of accomplishments, and try to imagine what is yet to come.
Regards,

Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., Airport Director
David Hillier, Chairman, Airport Authority Board

Here is an attached copy of the full annual report.
Asheville Airport Annual Report 2011

Inside the Asheville Airport is the well loved "The Blue Ridge Tavern". Its an outstanding restaurant that has just recently announced a new feature that will undoubtedly increase its popularity among plane travelers, frequent flyers especially.

Before you even arrive into the airport you can pre order a meal or drink, and be able to pick it up right at the gate, the restaurant (the Tavern), or on the plane if its permitted by the airline. You have to call prior to arriving or leaving the airport, and then pre pay for whatever you eat with a credit card. The best part, is that you have the option to pick up your meal just about anywhere inside or in the perimeter of the airport. Its a pretty awesome feature that is going to make regulars to the Asheville Regional Airport even more happy about supporting the Blue Ridge Tavern.

The Tavern is definitely one of our favorite places to eat when we visit the Airport.

Unrelated to Asheville, but relative to North Carolina residents, a small two person plane crashed near Fayetteville North Carolina on the 17th. There were two people aboard, a pilot and an unlucky passenger. The plane had a crash landing, but the police have no idea of the condition of either the pilot or the passenger of the plane. Police were rather vague about everything. The Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson didn't not readily respond to emails regarding this either. The plane was a Mooney 20.

Can a computer teach a 'normal' person without any previous flight experience how to fly a plane?

Maybe.

Computer software can actually give anyone a very good idea if the exact layout of a plane. Flight simulation software is often made for hobbyists and plane enthusiasts. Sometimes, its even used for real pilots in training. In advanced cases of a desire to digitally fly, people have attached physical pieces to their computers. Much like the external steering wheels that PS3 and Xbox users often enjoy for their car racing games, throttles, sticks, and rudder pedals can be bought separately and calibrated to work with programs. Software can even provide realistic in-flight views. Buildings, runways, actual airport layouts, and commands are incorporated into virtual flying software. However, if you spend hundreds of dollars on software, can you really learn to fly a plane?

Well, yes and no. Its a long shot for it to happen well. Its not going to be perfect. Programs on a computer can't (yet) display vibrations, nerves, noises, wind effects (especially on small planes), the feeling of real turbulence, and other things that plane pilots are often forced to deal with.

But yes, theoretically, a trained computer aviator could take off, and land a plane if conditions were ideal. However, no one would have high expectations of the quality of such an attempt. The landing would undoubtedly be harassed. Of course, great weather and a good time of the day could also play in.

But of course, not every plane is the same. Some planes will have a different layout. Some planes have more buttons and flashing lights that a computer trained flyer wouldn't recognize. But, this is for the cheaper programs. Some programs are easily available for $50 or $80 and are the programs we are really using for our assessment. A much more advanced program could add many of the features that these $50-80 programs can't exude.

So, it turns out that letting your kids play aviation games like Microsoft Flight Simulator or X-Plane could help them in the long run. It could give you, a friend, a relative, your child, or your parents a fleeting chance at saving a crashing airplane or a head-start into an aviation career.

The Top Destinations from Asheville's regional airport are mainly comprised in two main locations. Can you guess them?

If you are a regular flyer out of Asheville, we're sure you probably go to these two places very often.

Atlanta, GA is the number one most traveled-to spot from Asheville. There are over 125,000 passengers each year that use Asheville's Airport to get there.

Charlotte, NC is the second most popular destination for Asheville fliers. About 118,000 people each year hop over to Charlotte.

Now, most of these aren't final destinations. Everyone from the south knows, if you are going anywhere important, you will have a layover in Atlanta!

The third destination is probably a toss up, even if you are a local. Chicago-O’Hare, IL has 28,000 followed closely by Detroit, MI at 22,000 and Orlando, FL at 18,000.

The drop-off is simply amazing, 118,000 to 28,000 between second and third. Adding up the top 2 destinations is more than twice all the other destinations combined in terms of people per destination.

So, where are you going to fly to? Tweet @AshevilleAir

Have you ever wanted to fly?...

So many people would love to be able to get up in the air, sitting in the cockpit. And yet, most of these people think its impossible. "Its too expensive" or "Its too dangerous" or even "I'd crash" are common excuses.

Well, there's really no excuse now! If you want to learn how to fly, now is your chance! We've made it easier than you could ever imagine.

There is a certified flight school that is located at the Asheville Airport! It really can't be more convenient or easy to get your license.

Its probably one of the greatest adventures of a lifetime

Want to know more?

The basic information about learning to fly:

You start off with CBI or computer based instructional. You won't have to go to a class or even have books / other stuff to study! You can study anytime anywhere! You will get presentations, flight footage, quizzes and more. It has trivia and literally everything you need to get a head start before getting into the hands on stuff.

Training and Course Information

You don't need your own plane, although they do offer Private plane training. The Asheville Regional Airport can't be a better way to train. It isn't overcrowded and its highly regulated. The way the Airport is set up, you won't be in over your head, yet its not so easy that you will be unprepared.

The training is FAA Part 141/61 Flight Instruction from Private to Commercial to CFII to ATP. If you don't know what that means, don't worry! Basically, the school knows what its doing.

When your training is finished you will be able to rent planes to students as well as other pilots from the community.

The head pilot of the Learn To Fly School is David Shields. He has numerous certificates and designations as a tenured pilot. He's a commercial pilot, transport pilot, Flight instructor, Designated Flight examiner (pilot examiner), Instrumental Airplane Gold Seal, Ground Instructor, and Mechanic. He finished his own school in 1970. He was in the air force until 1981. He's lived in WNC since 2005 and became Chief instructor in the same year.

Private Pilot starts at $5,800.
Instrument Pilot starts at $5,475.
Multi Engine Pilot approx $2,905.

Also offered:

G1000 Transition
Tailwheel Transition / Endorsement
VFR Refresher
IFR Refresher
Mountain Flying
IFR GPS
Pinch Hitter


So what are you waiting for? Hop onto this great opportunity that lays in store for you in your back yard! You can contact WNC Aviation for more information you might need or any questions you might have. Leave a comment for site wide feedback.

Snapshots of active WNC future pilots and their instructors:

Asheville North Carolina is one of those cities that is filled to the brim with artistic people. Some people will call Asheville "artsy" and maybe that is the case. But what we do know, is that local art goes great inside an airport waiting room, terminal, and fills every empty cranny with something special.

Art and entertainment in the Asheville Airport

So, the AVL Regional Airport is host to a plethora of local art, paintings, photography, sculptural, and abstract art. And we like to show it off, because this is Asheville! We have small 'miniature' galleries around the airport. We rotate the art inside the airport so that no matter how often you fly, you are destined to see something new almost every single time.

Art Galleries and displays

We opened our main gallery in June of 2007 which is a small alcove. Ever since our first movement to decorate the airport, we've had over 120+ different artists featured! The exhibit is often worth arriving early for!

Buy Artwork

Yes, its all for sale, unless otherwise specified. We aren't just giving your gorgeous, interesting, and unique stuff to look at, you can take it home! If you can't leave without it, you won't. However, the piece must stay as long as the exhibit is scheduled to be up. As soon as the exhibit is closed and a new one is up, we can ship the artwork to you, or as a present to a friend. Simply contact us about a piece.

Get your artwork featured at the Asheville Airport

Its really not that hard to get your art inside our airport, if you are talented. There are a few hoops to jump through, of course (what were you expecting), but after you've filled out an application and a waiver you are on your way. The first thing is to read our policy, then you can apply. Read our FAQ if you are still in question of something. However, everything is fairly straight forward.
If you are trying to get into the next exhibit you need to check on a deadline. You can submit an application at any time, but if you have a certain exhibit in mind, you will need to make sure you check on it.

Music in the Asheville Airport

Yes! Be serenaded as you wait for your plane to depart! We try to introduce a new musical arrangement into our airport at least once a week. This is of course, live music, not speakers. For those of you who would rather watch TV, that (of course) is still an option.

We gather musicians from all over North Carolina, not just Asheville NC. Its an opportunity for them to get publicity, plus practice in front of a live audience. As most people are waiting anyway, bands usually get good feedback and applause after a showing. Its always a wide variety of music. Bands, single players, instrumental and vocal. Country, fold, rock, and pop are always welcome.

A similar application process is required for musicians, although its much less particular. We really want you to be our next featured music!

The culture we are proud to present to travelers helps make us the airport that we strive to be. We don't want to be some small hick airport (which we certainly are not) and we don't try to be a metropolis airport either. We are Asheville Regional Airport, and that sets up apart from every one else.