The plane Jalen Lockhart flew in today has the future of the Halifax-Northampton Regional Airport written all over it.
Lockhart, a member of the Halifax County Boys & Girls Club, was explained this as he flew with Jim Schmidt in the Allegro Light Sport Aircraft, a plane which is now being manufactured in Littleton but whose headquarters will soon be at the airport.
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“It was awesome,” Lockhart said after he and Schmidt, a flight instructor and Allegro dealer, landed.
Lockhart was never nervous in the small plane, which runs on regular automotive fuel.
Taking off was Lockhart's favorite part and the climb inspired him. “It was like we were watching little ants.”
The inspirational flight has made Lockhart want to learn more about aviation. “It's something I want to lean about in school and read all I can about it.”
Schmidt believes Allegro will become an important part of Halifax County. “Job were guaranteed.”
Schmidt said the plane is fun to fly. “It's efficient. It responds like a sports car. You buy car gasoline and it's got good visibility.”
Schmidt makes preflight checks.
Kim Taresco, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club, said 34 children came to the airport today. “We did it a couple of years ago, we try to do local things.”
This is what Ralph Johnson, manager of the airport, likes, a chance to promote the facility and give children plane rides with a corps of volunteer pilots. “I like to bring attention to the airport. We want all people to get a chance at enjoying what we've worked hard to do — fly.”
Johnson said he wants to see the airport continue to grow and be the pulse of the county's economy. “This is just not about Halifax County, it's about Northampton County and the city of Roanoke Rapids. If you don't have an airport, the probability of getting industry here is very low.”
The announcement that Allegro will build at the airport and the siting of the corporate park across the way is proof of that, he said, with Empire Foods already beginning construction. “When a company wants to build they want to build where the airport is. If they have to go to Rocky Mount that's where they're going to go.”
Johnson goes over plans as Fred Draper, seated, listens.
It would be like building an interstate system without exits, Johnson explained. “A lot of people don't realize how important it is to have an airport, one that bigger planes can come here. CEO's of companies are not coming in their Chevys or Hondas, they're coming in their Learjets and Citations. The airport is the backbone to the community.”
Of course, Johnson said, there is also an altruistic side to events like today, where the children got to ride in planes and meet members of the county Civil Air Patrol. “One of them may decide to be a pilot one day.”
Johnson told the story of one of the children he took up on an event like this, a person who is now involved in the aviation program at Elizabeth City State University. “I didn't know it at the time, but he said I inspired him.”
