Article originally posted to The Lane Report web site http://www.lanereport.com/40567/2014/10/appalachian-air-to-launch-first-flight-from-pikeville-on-monday/
Inaugural flight will go to Nashville
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 24, 2014) — Appalachian Air is ready to launch its inaugural first flight from Pikeville. The first flight, from Pikeville to Nashville International Airport, is scheduled for leave Kentucky at 6:55 a.m. on Oct. 27. Flight time will be a little more than one hour. The new service is operated by Public Charters Inc. of Avoca, Pa,. and Corporate Flight Management of Smyrna, Tenn.
“After nearly four years of planning, recruiting, meetings, teleconferences, addressing regulatory hurdles, etc., on the part of our community and air service partners, we are ready to launch the very first commercial air flight from Pikeville and Eastern Kentucky,” said Luke B. Schmidt, President of L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC, the Louisville-based consulting firm that has been facilitating the development of air service in Pikeville for the City of Pikeville, the Pikeville – Pike County Airport Board, and the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. “Everything is set and we are ready to welcome our first passengers on board the Jetstream J32.”
Appalachian Air will launch the service with one daily roundtrip (the return flight departs BNA at 4:30 PM CDT and arrives back in Pikeville at 6:55 PM EDT). The Appalachian Air aircraft will overnight each night at the Pikeville – Pike County Regional Airport.
“This is a great day for the City of Pikeville,” said Donovan Blackburn, Pikeville City Manager. “The development of commercial air service in Pikeville has been a community goal going all the way back to 1968.”