Morehead-Rowan County Airport Board

The Morehead-Rowan County Airport Board has awarded a five-year contract extension to Holley Aviation, reaffirming its role as the airport’s official Fixed-Base Operator (FBO). Owned and operated by Jack and Jodi Holley,

Holley Aviation owners Jodi and Jack Holley are congratulated by Morehead-Rowan County Airport Chair Bruce Mattingly during FBO contract extension signing on June 30, 2025.

Holley Aviation has managed airport operations since 2018, prioritizing safety, efficiency, and exceptional service.

As FBO, Holley Aviation oversees all airport operations including the daily maintenance and inspection of critical airport infrastructure, including the runway, taxiways, lighting systems, navigational aids (PAPI), automated weather systems (AWOS), and radio communications. The company also provides a wide range of services to local, transient, and corporate pilots—such as fueling (Jet A and 100LL), aircraft storage and maintenance, and courtesy
transportation.

“Holley Aviation has been a reliable and professional partner in managing our airport’s day-to-day operations,” said Airport BoardChair Dr. Bruce Mattingly. “Their commitment to safety and service has been instrumental in our continued growth.”

In recent years, the Airport Board has completed more than $6.7 million in infrastructure improvements, funded primarily through grants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Kentucky Department of Aviation (KDA). The larger projects include:

– A full renovation of the 5,500-foot runway ($2.4 million)
– Installation of energy-efficient LED lighting for the runway and taxiways ($1.2 million)
– Construction of a 1.47-acre concrete apron to support future corporate hangar development ($2.4 million)

“These investments were made possible in part by annual financial contributions from the City of Morehead and Rowan County governments, which help meet the local matching requirements for FAA grants,” Mattingly noted, and “we’re grateful for the unwavering support of our local officials, whose commitment ensures we remain a competitive and welcoming destination for aviation and business alike.”

Jason Slone, Ex Dir/CEO, Morehead-Rowan County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development

According to Jason Slone, Executive Director of the Morehead Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council, “The Morehead-Rowan County Airport is a vital asset to our region’s economic future. Its accessibility and capabilities give us a competitive edge in attracting new businesses, supporting existing industries, and facilitating
corporate travel. When companies evaluate locations for expansion or relocation, proximity to modern aviation facilities is often a key factor—and our airport helps put Morehead and Rowan County on the map.”

For information about airport activities and services, contact
Holley Aviation LLC at phone 606-780-0085 or email
holleyaviation@windstream.net.

Please scan the QR code for more information!

Join the KSYM/Holley Aviation Fly-In Committee for an unforgettable weekend of planes, cars, Huey helicopter rides, hot air balloon adventures, skydivers and community fun!

June 14 was the official date the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) selected for this year’s Young Eagles Day. Rowan County’s local EAA chapter1525 (The Bluegrass Flyers), had a stellar turnout of youth ages 8 to 17 who lined up to take part in this year’s exciting event.

Over 90 youth registered at the Morehead Rowan County Clyde A Thomas Regional Airport with their parents. For the event, the chapter was able to field 6 planes (all piloted by chapter members) who took their young charges on a 20-minute flight around the local area. The pilots flew 35 youths before lowering clouds forced a suspension of operations.

Young Eagles Day at Morehead Airport June 14, 2025

Parents and kids still waiting were asked to provide their email address to be notified of a rain date. The following Saturday had better weather, and almost everyone that had not gotten a ride on the 14th showed up for the follow-on session.

EAA International sponsors these events to promote the spirit of aviation and introduce young people to the joy and adventure of flying. EAA ensures the Young Eagles events and provides other support services. The program has been wonderfully successful in that many Young Eagles participants are inspired to seek additional aviation activities, and some go on to aviation careers. Yearly flight training scholarships are available from EAA International through our chapter.

For many of us in an older generation, such opportunities were only a fleeting dream that seemed unattainable. For that reason, EAA chapter 1525 members are eager to provide flying experiences to youth in their formative years, encouraging them to pursue their wild young dreams. Our pilots say that the joy and excitement they see in the eyes of their young passengers is well worth the price of a few gallons of aviation gas. The chapter’s abiding theme is “Giving Wings to the Next Generation.”

For more information, contact Jim Stevens
President EAA1525
703-615-8322 | jamesstevens45@gmail.com

Partnership Provides Critical Telecommunication Support to the Morehead-Rowan County Airport

Rajant is currently providing network coverage to Clyde Thomas Airport in Morehead, KY. using its proprietary “Breadcrumb” radios to establish a point-to-multipoint connection. This network leverages the water tower near Rajant’s office as a key infrastructure component. The solution became essential due to the lack of reliable ISP coverage in the area surrounding Rajant’s manufacturing facility. The network enables the airport to perform critical operations such as weather broadcasts and supports Voice over IP (VoIP) communications for airport staff. The issue was exacerbated when the airport’s previous ISP experienced a prolonged outage, leaving the facility unable to process credit card transactions for fuel or accurately report local weather conditions.

Jim Tom Trent, Rajant New Business Development, offered to set up its first POC (Proof of Concept) utilizing the MMRC (Menifee, Morgan, Rowan County) Industrial Authority’s water tower. The premise was simple, deploy a couple of Rajant’s strongest and most rugged “BreadCrumb” radios on the top of the water tower and then find structures, homes, businesses within 3-5 miles
of the tower and install one of their other BreadCrumb models to see if streaming the internet to those locations was feasible.

Thus far the results have been excellent. The first location to benefit from this POC was Pennington Farm Meats & More, which has had internet connection via this project for over a year. The airport has two radio models that are being used in this POC. The larger one is the main transmitter that is deployed on the tower, called a Peregrine. The smaller white one is the receiver being utilized at the airport, called an ES1.

Rajant’s CEO, Bob Schena, strongly believes in not only becoming active in the communities where Rajant has a facility, but also helpful to that community. Bob sees this successful POC as just the beginning for the endless opportunities that this opens for our friends and neighbors who reside in one of the most challenging terrains in the nation.

—Jim Tom Trent, New Business Development
Rajant Corporation
January 2025

Morehead-Rowan County Clyde A Thomas Regional Airport
1800 Rodney Hitch Blvd, Morehead, KY 40351

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Dr. Shannon Murphy is a chemistry and physics teacher at Rowan County Senior High School.
Four years ago, he was selected to teach a new series of aviation courses developed by the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Worldwide shortages of pilot and general aviation career professionals inspired the development of this innovative science, math and
engineering-based curriculum.

Since Dr. Murphy began teaching this 4-year curriculum, three of his students have qualified for prestigious flight training scholarships provided by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), an international aviation organization. Additionally, he has provided mentorship and after-class instructional coaching for three other students from nearby high schools that are also teaching the AOPA aviation curriculum. One of his former scholarship students has just completed a post-secondary degree in aviation and another has been recruited into the Army Aviation program. Among his mentored students, one is currently enrolled in the Eastern Kentucky University  aviation program, and the others are on track to pursue airline pilot careers.

Dr. Murphy is a member of our local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA Chapter 1525) where he administers our flight training scholarship program and organizes fund raisers to provide the chapter’s portion of the scholarship funding. Flight training to achieve a Private Pilot License (the foundational qualification for most aviation careers), is a rigorous and expensive enterprise which is out of reach of many aspiring aviators and requires a mentoring and monetary boost which Dr. Murphy has enthusiastically supplied.

Many of Dr. Murphy’s students and their parents have joined EAA Chapter 1525 and express wholehearted gratitude for his leadership and inspiration. Dr. Murphy has clearly gone above and beyond the requirements for a public educator and deserves special recognition for his devotion to his students and the community.

Submitted by James Stevens, President, Experimental Aircraft Association 1525
October 2024

A graduate of Rowan County High School, Morehead State University (B.S., M.S,) and the University of Kentucky (Ed.D.), Dr. Murphy has been teaching science for over 21 years. During this time, he has eagerly sought out unique learning opportunities for his students both inside and outside the classroom. His most recent adventure has been to oversee (and teach) an innovative four-year aviation careers curriculum sponsored by the national AOPA organization.

To complement this program, Shannon has become an active member of the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA 1525). His tireless volunteer activities in this club have led to multiple flight training scholarships ($10-11,000 each) for his students and free introductory flights for kids (7 – 17 years old) throughout the county. While the high school aviation program is only 4 years old, his students have excelled after graduation with several certified pilots and/or aviation maintenance specialists, and others continuing their education in post-secondary aviation programs. Always smiling, his optimism is contagious! He is truly an inspiration to his students and to all who know or work with him. He makes a DIFFERENCE!

Submitted by Bruce A. Mattingly, Chairman, Morehead-Rowan County Airport Board
October 2024

Rowan County airport part of federal grant to study future of electric
aircraft charging at Appalachian airports

Morehead – Rowan County Clyde A. Thomas Regional Airport is one of
36 general aviation airports to be included in a federal grant study on the
future of electric aircraft.
Kentucky is a partner to a $500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional
Commission (ARC) awarded to Ohio University.
The states of Kentucky, Ohio and North Carolina, North Carolina State
University, local airport officials and researchers are all grant partners. The
team will work to evaluate technology needs at 36 general aviation airports,
half of which are in Kentucky. The grant also aims to expand the already
vital economic and public service role of aviation in the region.
The Morehead-Rowan County Clyde A. Thomas Regional Airport, located
off North KY 80l in Farmers, is owned by the Morehead-Rowan County
Airport Board. It was completed in 2007. The asphalt runway is 6600 feet
long on a 325-acre site.
“Kentucky is already the electric vehicle battery production capital of the
world, and by participating in this project we’re working to become a leader
in the aircraft industry of the future,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “By bringing
new jobs, technologies and industries to Kentucky we’re making sure our
children never have to leave home to chase their dreams.” The
Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) grant is a
product of the historic federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strengthen
economic opportunities through multi-state collaborative projects.
Researchers at the Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership and
Public Service (GVS) and the Institute of Transportation Research and
Education (ITRE) of North Carolina State University will spearhead the
yearlong project to identify the utilities and charging infrastructure required
to serve electric aircraft at 36 general aviation airports located in
Appalachian counties in Kentucky, Ohio and North Carolina. This
information will provide models for financing and implementing necessary
infrastructure improvements at general aviation airports in the participating
states, and across Appalachia. Of Kentucky’s 58 public use airports, 18
general aviation airports will be included in the project. A list of all
participating airports is provided below. In Ohio, 14 general aviation airports
will be a part of the project and four will be included in North Carolina. As
the project’s director, Brent Lane of Ohio University observed,

“Appalachia’s more than 230 public general aviation airports must be
prepared to support the operational needs of electric aviation, or the region
will lose the benefits it offers.” Aviation is already important in Appalachia,
but aviation is changing as a new generation of sustainable electric aircraft
is emerging. These innovative aircraft, ranging from drones to passenger
airplanes, offer promising applications including delivering emergency
medical supplies and cargo, public safety services, and business and
regional transportation. Most of this activity will occur at the numerous
smaller general aviation airports which, though not offering commercial
flights, play important roles in their local economies.

– The Rowan County News, August 22,
2024

August 30, 2024. Dr. Charles Derrickson accepts a resolution honoring his 25 years of service to the Morehead-Rowan County Airport Board. Local officials, family, board members and staff included (l-r) (seated) Jack Holley, Jr. – Fixed Base Operator, Dr. Shannon Murphy – Member-at-Large, David Perkins –Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Derrickson, Dr. Bruce Mattingly – Chair, Porter Dailey – Member-at-Large, Bob Helton – Vice Chair, Dr. Tom Fossett – Member-at-Large, Tim James – Past Chair. Standing (l-r) Craig Melzer, Charlene Derrickson Melzer, Aubrey Derrickson, Dr. Bob Albert, Ada Ruth Derrickson Albert, Dr. Ralph Derrickson, Cecil Watkins – Rowan County Attorney, Harry Clark – Rowan County Judge Executive, Carmen Swim – Rowan County Property Valuation Administrator, Darrell Glover – Rowan County Magistrate District 2, Jason Slone – President/CEO at Morehead-Rowan County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development.

Resolution

From the March 2024 Rowan County Review

Judge-Executive Harry Clark and other officials greeted Rowan County Senior High School ninth-grade students visiting the Clyde A. Thomas Regional Airport on Monday.  Judge Clark, who served 22 years in the Air Force and has also worked in the aviation industry, shared his experience and discussed the impact of aviation in our region, as well as the importance of education to prepare for these in-demand careers.

As a part of their visit, students toured the airport, learned about what the Rowan County EAA Chapter does for our community, received information about the Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) program at MCTC, and participated in interactive activities about electricity, airplane safety, and plane design, made possible in part due to a grant MCTC received from the National Science Foundation. This fall, MCTC will be expanding their AMT program curriculum and will begin offering workshops for middle school students thanks to a recent $500,000 grant award from the FAA. We look forward to the positive long-term impact this will have on our community.

Attention parents and guardians! Does your child dream of soaring the skies? EAA Chapter 1525 is thrilled to offer FREE airplane rides for children aged 8-17 at Morehead Airport this Saturday, September 30!

Kick-off: 9am
Flights until: 1pm

HIGHLIGHTS
Witness spectacular airplanes up close!
Experience the magic of flight.
Spark your child’s interest in aviation.

IMPORTANT
A parent or guardian MUST accompany the child.

Aimed at introducing the wonders of aviation to the younger generation, this event is not just a ride; it’s a gift of flight!
Mark your calendars and let’s inspire the next generation of aviators!