Gainesville Airport Soars, 2014-15

Gainesville’s Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport management team was looking for ways to increase revenue. Runways constructed in WWII had been arbitrarily assigned an aircraft weight limit of 40,000 pounds by the Department of Defense and airport officials asked Wisdom Keepers to help find a way to fund a drill core study to measure actual load capacity. By focusing the attention of Gainesville and Hall County Government officials on data showing how increased air traffic from corporate jets is a positive economic for the community, a job creator and a revenue generator, Wisdom Keepers helped secure joint funding from them for the study. The core study results revealed that the runway could handle aircraft up to 100,000 pounds, which opened the way for all larger corporate jets to land in Gainesville and reach area businesses.

“Wisdom Project gave me the opportunity to identify a way to give back to my community.  I had a “vision” for this project and was able to implement it with the help of four great Wisdom Keepers, who are now my “new” lifelong friends.”

Wisdom Keeper, Class of 2013

“Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport has a great combination of General Aviation and Corporate travel. The core study was very beneficial in that it confirmed the strength of our primary runway with a weight capacity of 100,000 lbs. Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport continues to see growth in our corporate travel and appreciate the part the Wisdom Project played in that.”

 Lisa Poole, Airport Manager, Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport