Sovereign Aerospace will be expanding operations to Curtis L. Brown Jr. Airport, it was announced Wednesday.
The Moore County-based company will offer flight instruction, general aviation maintenance and will assume duties as the Fixed Base Operator for the Elizabethtown airport.
“This is a very exciting venture for Elizabethtown and will have a tremendous impact on our economic development here in Elizabethtown and Bladen County,” Elizabethtown Mayor Sylvia Campbell said. “This is the result of a 6-month joint venture economic initiative led by our incredible staff. It is our hope that it will provide a catalyst for growth in the aviation industry.”
It’s a joint venture involving the Town of Elizabethtown, Bladen County, Bladen’s Bloomin’ Agri-Industrial and Bladen Community College.
NASA astronaut Col. (Ret) Curtis L. Brown Jr., who was raised in Elizabethtown and flown aboard the Space Shuttle, said, “I was thrilled to learn about this development during my most recent visit in March and honored to spend some time with Sovereign Aerospace CEO Lt. Col. (Ret) Slim Thompson and his team.
“Inspired by flight lessons at Fisher Airfield leading to a lifelong journey in the U.S. Air Force and NASA, I am ecstatic that flight training will once again be offered at the airport growing our next generation of pilots.”
Sovereign Aerospace oversees a host of entities designed to serve prospective pilots and plane owners. Bringing decades of flight and aircraft experience, Sovereign Aerospace plans to deliver high-quality flight instruction and general aviation repair on-site at Curtis L. Brown Jr. Field.
“We see nothing but great potential in Bladen County, and we are excited to work closely with the local community to satisfy the shortage of pilots and A&P mechanics nationwide,” said Sovereign Aerospace DO/CFO, Ken Hadaway.
Curtis L. Brown Jr. Field is a town owned, public use airport located two nautical miles southeast of downtown Elizabethtown. It has one runway designated 15/33 with an asphalt surface measuring 5,006 feet by 75 feet. It’s home to 23 general aviation-based aircraft and three corporate aircraft.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sovereign Aerospace to our tremendous community here in Elizabethtown,” said Town Manager Dane Rideout. “We believe this is the perfect home for this aerospace industry and will add life back into our airport. The fact that this successful company has chosen to expand operations in Elizabethtown is a great credit to our community. Bladen’s Bloomin’ Executive Director, Chuck Heustess, and the team have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring this deal to fruition.”
Curtis L. Brown Jr. Field has an economic annual impact of over $21 million, generates over $759,000 in tax revenue and supports over 90 jobs, according to the NC Division of Aviation.
Bladen County Commissioner and Airport Board member Charles Ray Peterson said, “The airport was identified in the Bladen County Strategic Plan 2022-2032 as an asset to help leverage future growth in the county and we believe Sovereign Aerospace and their leadership are the exact company to help us move in that direction.”
“We are excited to have been a part of this project to recruit aerospace industry jobs to our region,” Bladen Community College President Dr. Amanda Lee said. “This announcement, to me, is about so many things. It’s about the possibilities that exist when we work together, whenever we have a common strategic plan, and we each do our part to make our region better. The college is working closely with Sovereign Aerospace to provide more educational opportunities to students in the industry. We are grateful for all our partners and their support for this project.”
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