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Pickens County leaders outline steps to revive airport operations while AWOS dispute with FAA drags on
Summary
Pickens County commissioners and airport stakeholders described a $300,000 operating shortfall, delayed FBO construction and a stalled AWOS tower approval by the FAA, and said they have prioritized weather-system approval and staffing while pausing a fencing project.
Commissioner Chris, chairman of the Pickens County Board of Commissioners, told a town-hall meeting that the county has absorbed control of the Pickens County Airport after recent state action and faces a roughly $300,000 annual operating shortfall that county officials say requires new management decisions and revenue strategies.
The airport’s Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) remains offline while the county and its contractor exchange material with the Federal Aviation Administration, county officials said. The county has postponed a federally funded fencing project and scheduled interviews for a permanent airport manager as part of a push to make the field more self-sustaining.
The shortfall and the AWOS outage are central to the county’s immediate priorities. “The reality is the airport’s operating at about $300,000 less than what it’s generating,” Commissioner Chris said. He and advisory-board members urged the community to prioritize getting the AWOS returned to service so…
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