Henry County airport expansion underway

Blue Ridge Regional Airport in Henry County has completed a larger apron for airplane parking and will soon extend its 5,002-foot runway to 6,000 feet — long enough to accommodate executive jets. A new terminal is also planned as part of a package of about $30 million in upgrades for the airport, according to Jason Davis, the airport’s managing director.

“We have multiple companies in the area that utilize what we have,” Davis says, “and we have to be able to meet the needs of those clients.”

The area’s biggest draws are Primland Resort, a 12,000-acre destination luxury resort and corporate retreat in Patrick County, and Martinsville Speedway, which hosts NASCAR Cup Series races and other events. Executives and clients of the area’s biggest employers also rely on the airport for transportation, says Davis.

The general aviation airport, which accommodates private and recreational aircraft, sees an average of 33 airplanes performing 66 takeoffs and landings each day, according to Davis.

Bad weather, however, sometimes means planes must divert to the Roanoke or Greensboro, North Carolina, airports. That’s a deterrent to busy executives and cuts into jet fuel sales, the airport’s top revenue source, Davis says.

Upgrading the airport “not only enhances accessibility for our guests but also elevates the overall experience,” says Primland’s general manager, Rajiv Malhotra.

The airport’s new apron, completed in October 2022, can now accommodate 25 to 35 jets, about triple the previous number, according to Davis. That project totaled $8 million, he says.

Work to shift part of Airport Road to make way for the runway extension began in October 2023 at a cost of about $5 million and should be finished this summer. Work can then begin on the runway extension, which will take about two years to complete and cost around $13 million, Davis says. He’s hoping to obtain 90% of the runway extension’s funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, 8% from the Virginia Department of Aviation and the rest locally.

The project’s final step will be to replace the airport’s circa-1987 terminal with a larger, modern facility that will include a pilot’s lounge, a conference room and Simply Suzanne’s Café, the airport’s restaurant.

“The new terminal will be a big improvement,” says Mark Heath, president and CEO of the Martinsville Henry County Economic Development Corp. “We consider it our front door for people who are traveling by plane.”