Zach Abraham hasn’t been surprised since he was elected to the Ohio County Commission that some local residents have not known about the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport.
He has been startled, however, by the sheer number of people who have confessed to owning no clue the facility is located near W.Va. Route 2.
“I did know a lot of people in Ohio County don’t even know it’s there, and that’s a shame because it’s a beautiful place,” Abraham said. “But I had no idea it was as big a secret as apparently it has been for a lot of years. I know it’s tucked away and it’s hidden, and not many people talk about the airport, but I really believe a lot of people are just now learning of its existence.”
The county commissioner said the public’s unfamiliarity with the airport is one of the primary reasons he and commission colleagues Don Nickerson and Randy Wharton have developed the “Wings Over Wheeling” event scheduled for tomorrow between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Antique cars and vintage airplanes will be positioned at the facility, and several additional activities will be available, as well.
“There will be some vintage airplanes there, a few other planes, and also a vintage car show,” Abraham said. “We’ll also have food, a rock-climbing wall, WOMP FM will be there from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.,” Abraham detailed. “There also should be some plane rides that will be available like we had for 9/11 last year.
“I believe it will be a fun-filled event from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.,” he said. “And who knows, maybe a family will come to the airport because it’s the first they have heard about the facility and they want their children to see what’s going on there. I think most kids find airports to be fascinating places.”
Up, Up and Away
One goal Abraham communicated when running for a seat on the Ohio County Commission in 2020 was to bring the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport back into the forefront with new economic development.
A flight school? An event center? Maybe even a culinary destination for those who enjoy flying in for food?
“I have found out people do that,” Abraham testified. “So, who knows what we could do up there, but we do have some really popular foods here in the Wheeling area.
“We just want as many local people possible to know about the airport. I believe when we have had U.S. presidents fly into the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport, they knew, but not many people realize that we have a reserve unit (463rd Engineer Battalion) at the airport and they have about 15 Blackhawk helicopters there,” the commissioner said. “The airport was utilized far more in the past than it is today and we’re investigating ways to change that. We have some work to do on it, but hopefully, we’ll be bringing some educational components to the facility.”
The Wheeling-Ohio County Airport features a terminal that has been transformed into a museum that pertains to its use over three-quarters of a decade. The facility has been utilized in the past for commercial flights and as a resting place for the Goodyear Blimp and a plethora of hot air balloons, and a few different private companies have offered flying lessons.
The airport property covers about 1,000 acres with two runways at an elevation of nearly 1,200 feet.
“Two of the reasons we had the 9/11 event last year was to pay our respects to those who tragically lost their lives that day 21 years ago, and to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the airport itself,” Abraham explained. “It was a beautiful day, and the event was very well attended, and I also think the event reminded a lot of people that the airport operates every single day right here in Ohio County.
“I would love to see events like the 9/11 event and tomorrow’s ‘Wings Over Wheeling’ take place at the airport at least once if not twice per year. Besides functioning as an airport, it’s a terrific place to hold events because of the large amount of space that’s available,” the commissioner added. “Our goal is to get more engagement from the public so we can see the facility be utilized as often as possible.”
