Now residents in Calhoun and Gordon County can have an even nicer flight.

The Tom B. David Airport, nestled in the throes of a small town, is driving up economic revenue much to the benefit of the community.

Data gathered from a study conducted by the Georgia Department of Transportation, which was commissioned by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that Calhoun’s own airport is an economic force to be reckoned with.

The study showed that with 82 jobs, a total payroll of $2.8 million, Tom B. David Airport has a total economic output of $10.1 million. The study explained that these jobs measure the number of full-time equivalent jobs where a part-time employee counts as half of a full-time employee. The payroll measures the total annual wages and benefits paid to all workers whose salaries are directly attributable to airport activity, and the economic output measures the value of goods and services related to the airport.

Compared to other smaller airports, Calhoun leads the way in size, economic output and it’s close in employment.

Rome’s Russell Regional Airport has 111 jobs, a total payroll of $2,673,100, and an economic output of $7,498,800 while Dalton’s, Dalton Municipal Airport has 37 jobs, a total payroll of $883,400 and a total economic output of $3,101,800.

The benefits of flying locally are key when it comes to the airport’s output, according to Calhoun-Gordon County Airport Manager Dwight Albritton.

“People can go directly from Calhoun to their place of business,” said Albritton. “They can skip the drive time and get from one point of business to another point without all the wasted time.”

An additional adage of the airport, and maybe the most important, is the feeling fliers get when they land at Tom B. David Airport.

“We try to always remember that we are the front door of the community; the airport is the first glimpse that visitors will get of Calhoun,” said Albritton. “We always want to be welcoming and inviting to people who visit here.”

In the study it said that Tom B. David Airport is highly beneficial to frequent fliers due to its close proximity to Interstate 75. Through Hawk Aviation, Lucia Aircraft and Your Aircraft Source, the airport provides aircraft maintenance services while Henderson Aviation provides flight instruction services to pilots. It is also home to Life Force, an air ambulance group serving the North Georgia region, and is part of the Erlanger Health System, which has operated at the airport since 2007.

Through its local attractions such as the Roland Hayes Museum, the Gordon County Historical Society, Resaca Civil War Battlefield, and New Echota of Cherokee Nation, the airport offers a myriad of activities for people who fly to and from Calhoun, according to the study. It also is a short distance away from Barnsley Gardens Resort and Dalton, Ga., which is home to the carpet industry that serves several business needs.

For more information, contact Tom B. David Airport at 706-602-8000.