County to Hold Hearing on Eastern Air Express Move to Piedmont Triad Airport
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners scheduled a Nov. 20 public hearing and potential vote on a plan to relocate Eastern Air Express operations from Kansas City to a hangar at Piedmont Triad International Airport. If approved and paired with a state building reuse grant, the project would renovate airport facilities, require a modest local match, and expand local aviation employment substantially.
Guilford County officials will consider a proposal to bring Eastern Air Express to Piedmont Triad International Airport when the Board of Commissioners holds a public hearing on Nov. 20. The action, first posted Nov. 16, would set the stage for a vote expected soon after the hearing if the required state funding is awarded.
The company proposes to move an existing Kansas City based team of about 58 employees and add roughly 30 mechanics and other staff, producing an estimated Greensboro headcount between about 99 and 122 employees. The relocation would be paired with renovations to a hangar and associated facilities. Project work described in county materials and local reporting includes roof replacement, hangar door repairs, construction of office space, and apron repaving. The total rehabilitation estimate is about $3.9 million.
Key to the county action is a state building reuse grant request of up to $500,000. The grant program requires a local match of five percent, translating to roughly $25,000 if the full award is granted. County materials explain public hearing procedures and note that the county would proceed with any local commitments only if the state grant is approved. That sequence means the county vote is contingent on state funding and the final terms agreed between the airport authority and the company.
For Guilford County residents the proposal has measurable economic implications. The addition of up to 122 employees would boost payroll and expand the region's pool of aviation mechanics and support staff. Skilled maintenance jobs are in demand regionally, and a local expansion may strengthen supply chains for parts, training programs at community colleges, and service businesses near the airport. The project would also put nearly $3.9 million of capital investment into airport infrastructure, potentially improving operations and capacity at Piedmont Triad International.
The public hearing provides an opportunity for residents, business owners, and airport stakeholders to weigh in on the plan before commissioners act. Officials will consider the financial terms, the county match obligation if the state grant is awarded, and any lease or use agreements needed for the facility work to proceed. With the hearing set for Nov. 20, county decision makers must balance the immediate budgetary commitment of a modest match against the longer term benefits of job creation and infrastructure investment at a key regional transportation asset.
