Aviation View | Volume 2, Issue 1

76 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 days is a long time, they didn’t miss out on traffic. Post-COVID lockdown, the airport is back, and above the pre-lockdown numbers. This is especially true when reviewing fuel sales, as well as operations counts. However, one key area that was severely hampered by the pandemic was game-day traffic to the airport. “During game days at Virginia Tech the airport takes on a totally different look and feel,” says Holt. “The airport is extremely busy. But last year (2020) the stadium restrictions were down to 200-2,000 spectators. This meant there was very little football traffic at the airport.” Since then traffic has bounced back, and 40-50 jets can land for a single game. Game day operations at the airport start roughly four hours before kickoff with jets landing. The ground crew then start refueling the jets around the start of the game, and it is just a matter of time before departures , a time that is dependent on the results of the game. If it is a close game, departures often line up on the taxiway waiting