Rutherford County Airport celebrates National Aviation Day

In 1939 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt National Aviation Day on the anniversary of Orville Wright's birthday August 19, 1871. The Rutherford County Airport located off highway 64, 3 miles north of Rutherfordton was officially opened on November 21, 1975. The airport is named in memory of long-time local aviation pioneer Jim Marchman. Other local aviators are memorialized on a plaque along the walkway to the terminal. Today the airport has a 5000 foot runway and approximately 40 airplanes are based there. The airport averages 33 aircraft operations a day and that number increases when major events are held at the Tryon Equestrian Center at which time business jets may utilize the airport.

Devon Raisch is the manager of the airport. Skyhawk Aviation offers flight training at the airport.