CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Marshall University and Yeager Airport have agreed to look at the possibility of starting a School of Aviation at the Charleston-based airport.
The Yeager Airport Board signed a memorandum of understanding at its meeting Wednesday, Yeager Airport Director Terry Sayre said.
“The memorandum deals with the feasibility study for the possibility of them putting an aviation school here on our (general aviation) property,” Sayre said.
The MOU will go for the next year with Marshall conducting the study. Sayre said either side can renew the agreement for another year if necessary.
Sayre believes an aviation school could bring new jobs to southern West Virginia.
“People would go to be an airplane mechanic where the pay is good. We’re going to try to have pilot training and degrees in aviation. It’s all job-related,” he said. “We’ll try to attract people from southern West Virginia, displaced workers, and try to create some jobs here.”
Yeager has already started to explore the possibility. An environmental study of the general aviation area is scheduled to be finished soon and the airport is also exploring the possibility of a new access road to the GA area.
Sayre said there are many possibilities and advantages.
“I think we would be the only airport in the country that has an Air Guard base here in addition to commercial service as well as service at the general aviation area,” Sayre said.