The Columbus Municipal Airport has been chosen as the top airport in the state by the Aviation Association of Indiana.
Brian Payne, the city’s airport director, said the city was chosen from more than 60 airports around the state and city officials were presented the award at a ceremony last week.
“I think it shows a lot about Columbus, just what we are doing, what we are thinking of,” Payne said. “We have an airport that is unlike any others in the state of Indiana.”
For example, he said that the airport has more commercial and educational development on airport property than anywhere else in Indiana
He also said Columbus is set apart by its emphasis on aviation education, with the recent addition of aviation management programs at Ivy Tech Community College’s Columbus campus.
Payne said that Columbus is actually the fourth busiest airport in Indiana. That includes eclipsing larger airports such as Evansville, Fort Wayne, South Bend and Gary.
“In fact, this year, year-to-date we are higher than any year we have ever had,” Payne said. “So (it is) fantastic, what we have been able to accomplish.”