By Cassie O'Connor

Special to the Sentinel

Not only are motorists across Montgomery County battling the cost of fuel at the pump, but local pilots are feeling the crunch too. With fuel costs nearly doubling this past year, local Montgomery County Airpark management says business has dropped of dramatically in some instances.

Montgomery County Airpark, which is located at 7940 Airpark Drive in Gaithersburg, provides a great number of aviation services for the public, including storage, aviation fuel sales, aircraft repair and maintenance, pilot training, and charter services. The local airpark has a well-known reputation for providing services for both commercial and recreational flyers traveling through the Washington-Metropolitan area, but with the rise of aviation fuel prices this year there has been less traffic coming in and out of the airpark. More importantly, according to airpark workers, there have been fewer independent pilots who fly as a hobby or go "joy-riding" on the weekends.

"There is a definite decrease in the number of pilots who do this as a hobby," said John Luke III, the Airport Manager of the Montgomery County Airpark.

According to airpark workers fuel prices have reached $6.70 per gallon for full service 100-low lead fuel. It is reported by AirNav that the nationwide average for aviation fuel has reached a high of $5.58 per gallon, while the average for aviation fuel in Maryland is reported at $5.88 per gallon.

Just as motorists across the county are making changes to their daily commutes, vacation plans and weekend road trips in order to save money and cut back on the miles they drive, pilots too are having to seek different alternatives. Luke believes that just as motorists are feeling the strain from the cost of gas that pilots too are feeling the effects causing them to cut back on their recreational flying.

Kerop Hadaddian, the owner of the Airport Café located in the Montgomery County Airpark's terminal building, has noticed a decline in pilot activity both in the restaurant and on the airpark runway. "There is some activity, but not a lot. I assume it is because of the fuel prices and such," Hadaddian said.

Hadaddian said at one time the restaurant experienced great business. He continued to describe the restaurant's first hand view of the airpark's runway, pilots and aircrafts, and voiced that the restaurant expected great traffic through the restaurant, but that it has not.

Although the airpark is seeing fewer recreational flyers, Luke is positive and upbeat about commercial flyers. "Commercial travel is holding up well," he said.

Photo by Marketa Ebert