[TRS-80 vet]

The governor here in NC initiated a huge pork project about 15 years ago, and called it Global Trans Park (Global Trans PORK) at Kinston (pop. 35k?) NC Jetport, with the impetus being to bring in global commercial interest.

To date, I think there are no business tenants - global or local.

So it was a waste of 10's of millions of tax dollars - maybe close to $100 million+; I'm not sure.

He managed somehow to get an annual budget/tax commitment from the Fed, in addition to state and local budget allotments.

For years, I've seen government aircraft doing touch n go's at this airport. What's behind this?

Somewhere in the fine print, I imagine that the GTP 'charter' says that in order for the Fed to continue funding operations [sic], there has to be x amount of air traffic, BUT, it obviously does NOT have to be related to the conduct of commerce (or lack thereof). Local business operations wouldn't justify the Fed's annual allotment.

So almost every weekday, you can see the aircraft going round, and round, and round - literally, round and round the airport. Burning government fuel, so more tax cash can come in.

Today, it was the Coast Guard jet (Gulfstream IV?), in from Elizabeth City NC, or maybe Wilmington NC. More often, the CG sends their Lockheed C-130.

Also doing cycles was a USAF C130. This one, along with a KC-707 USAF refueler from SJAFB Goldsboro NC, and an ANG C130, also SJAFB, are the most common visitors (daily).

Every government agency that does air comes through, including US Forest Service a DC-3, a Marine Osprey, and even I believe the CIA with a completely unmarked C-123. There's some military facility on the northwest side of the airport, not visible from ANY road, and with images blocked out from google earth. Gitmo prisoners?

I couldn't list all the aircraft. Here's a few pics from todays visitors. Enjoy - you're paying for it!

[TRS-80 vet]

And a few more...

[thingamajig]

Is the facility being used for training? I'm not sure what to make of the touch and goes as your theory could be one of many.

Alabama has pushed for the "build it and they will come" approach on a hub to compete with Hartsfield but it has never gotten off the ground. Private investors also want to build a domed stadium in Birmingham for reasons that are far beyond me!

Global TansPark does not appear pixelated but the US is rather lax on mapping tools of military bases. Here's one in Kuwait.

The Netherlands are fairly strict however, with Vokel and Soesterberg being pixelated. I don't know of other country/locations that do this but I'd be curious. It's jaw-dropping to me to see some US facilities exposed. But, if I know US policy, they would probably just redraw it for the masses.

[Fidelista]

"There's some military facility on the northwest side of the airport, not visible from ANY road, and with images blocked out from google earth. Gitmo prisoners?"
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I looked at the site but I can't see any image blocked ? .
http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=35.327...rth%20Carolina
>f

[wacor]

I almost got my pilots license and I one time flew solo from Detroit to Toledo. I happened to hit a time when there were military from a nearby base that flew into Toledo and just did touch and goes