What’s in a name? Beaufort’s renowned Frogmore International airport gets a new title
Frogmore International is trading its colloquial nickname for a more permanent identity.
Beaufort County Airport on Lady’s Island has been renamed Beaufort Executive Airport, an idea championed by local aviation supporters who felt the new name would boost the terminal’s image.
The change was made official in the Federal Aviation Association directory Nov. 5.
“The airport is an important part of the Beaufort community,” Beaufort County airports director Jon Rembold said in a statement. “It is the aerial gateway to the many great destinations available to explore. We feel strongly the new name will help business and will highlight our focus on delivering an excellent experience for our local friends and for our visitors.”
The airport has been known by different names.
A sign at its entrance off Sea Island Parkway tells visitors they’ve arrived at Lady’s Island Airport. Locals have colloquially called the unpretentious facility Frogmore International Airport, a moniker that even graces a logo on the airport’s website of a frog piloting a biplane.
The airport is a public facility overseen by county staff and an airports board. Staff includes a full-time manager and part-time employees, and operations are funded by fuel sales and aircraft rental fees.
Those who fly in have access to nearby Secession Golf Club, a private club with a national membership, to vacation getaways to Harbor and Fripp islands, and shopping and restaurants in downtown Beaufort.
The 100-acre property in the low-lying marshlands includes a 3,400-foot runway and 34 hangars. Airport officials said early this year that the 34 hangars at the airport are at capacity and that they were working to secure private leases for more hangar space to allow for more planes and larger aircraft to be parked on site.
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 2:40 PM.
