Governor Moore tours Salisbury Airport, hears proposal for 15 million Dollar UMES flight school expansion

SALISBURY, Md – As part of his visit to the Eastern Shore to celebrate his first 100 days in office, Maryland Governor Wes Moore toured the Salisbury Regional Airport accompanied by members of the Salisbury City Council, Wicomico County Council, and airport officials.

Governor Moore was joined by Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano, as they spoke about the airport’s economic impact,  and where it has room to grow.
The Governor also met with students at the University of Maryland’s Eastern Shore flight mechanic school and heard a proposal from county officials on a 15 million dollar project to bring a new hangar to the school.

Wicomico County Economic Development Director David Ryan says the program would be one of its kind in the nation and would strengthen umes’ relationship with piedmont airlines, something Governor Moore says he is excited to help support.

“This is really a celebration of a combination of higher education and the private sector and government and nonprofit,” Governor Moore said adding “You are watching how these segments and sectors are working together to accomplish their goal so as a state we are really excited about the record funding we have made thus far and we are really excited to support the eastern shore and programs like this.”

“This type of education is one of a kind across the nation and this partnership with umes is amazing and being able to expand for the mechanical portion is amazing,” said Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano.

The group discussed the need for pilots and mechanics across the airline industry and how a beefed-up program could get students trained with better equipment, and graduated within a 12-month time span with a competitive cost per student.