In addition to its other services, Johnson also highlights that Penobscot Island Air is active in the area of flight instruction, an added plus for the airport given the current aviation shortages in all areas of flight operations. “They teach new pilots. You can schedule a flight instruction lesson from PIA.” Johnson also mentions that the airport boasts an active flying club on-site that caters to general aviation. “The Knox County Flying Club meets once a week and they offer flying lessons to members of the public as well; they are very involved. “They [The Knox Country Flying Club] try to build interest in aviation in the community.They also try to work with kids and get them to see different aviation career paths,” Johnson explains. Adding to Knox County Regional Airport’s stellar services is its fully equipped Fixed Based Operator (FBO), Downeast Air. “They offer fueling and cater to the businesses that fly in and out. They house aircraft in their hangars and they service more of the larger jets that come in.” ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THE REGION Johnson views the airport as an economic driver and points to the direct impact the airport has on the local economy, drawing from numbers pulled from a recent 2022 economic study. “The airport brought 41.12 million dollars to the community and it supported 243 jobs,” he asserts. These numbers, Johnson argues, reflect the robust role that the airport can offer the broader community in terms of commercial investment, logistics, and tourism potential. Johnson is enthusiastic about these numbers and sees them as strengthening further. “It is extremely significant as far as the money that we are bringing into the local economy and 48 AVIATION VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 05, ISSUE 02
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