🇺🇸 Rocky Mount Wilson Regional Airport

The Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport (RWI) is a public airport located seven miles southwest of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and north of Wilson, North Carolina. It is owned by the Rocky Mount-Wilson Airport Authority.

Type of facility and operations: RWI is a public airport that primarily serves corporate, cargo, medical, and general aviation. While it previously had commercial airline service, including Piedmont Airlines and US Airways Express, there are currently no commercial or cargo flights operating at RWI. The airport is open to the public and offers services such as fuel (100LL and JET-A), hangars, tiedowns, and major airframe and powerplant services.

Notable features or history: The airport's roots trace back to early airfields in Rocky Mount and Wilson, with the Rocky Mount "Eagle" Airport established in 1933. The current Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport opened in 1970, consolidating services between the two cities. It covers an area of 364 acres (147 ha) and has one asphalt paved runway (4/22) measuring 7,099 ft × 150 ft (2,164 m × 46 m). The airport is known to serve companies like Cummins and Pfizer.

Current status: RWI is experiencing significant growth, with aircraft operations quadrupling from 10,172 in 2021 to 45,794 in 2023. The airport is preparing for this growth by adding new fuel tanks and hangars. Development plans include potentially doubling its current 500-acre footprint, adding more hangars, an industrial park for businesses, and a second runway to increase traffic. The airport is working with consultants to finalize these plans and seek funding, with the long-term goal of potentially reintroducing commercial flights.

*Sources researched: krwiairport.org, en.wikipedia.org, airnav.com, legacy.wral.com*