Liberty University Buys Falwell Aviation

Liberty University, which has a relatively new school of aviation, now has its own airport. The Lynchburg university purchased Falwell Aviation, named for Calvin Falwell, brother of Liberty founder Jerry Falwell, who founded the fixed base operation, private airport.

The deal between Falwell Aviation and Liberty will be final Jan. 1, but no price has yet been set because an inventory must be completed. A fixed base airport provides services for commercial airports like charter service, gasoline and flying lessons.

Liberty Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. was quoted in the Lynchburg News & Advance as saying, “The school will attain the status almost immediately that it hoped it would attain over the next decade. It will be a really unique place for students to learn not only to fly planes, but also about the charter business and mechanics.”

Liberty bought three maintenance and storage hangars, maintenance workspace, flight operations, classrooms, aircraft dispatch, student study areas and customer service facilities, a total of 55,000 square feet. Five planes are also part of the deal.

Founders Calvin and Lawrence Falwell, cousins of the late Jerry Falwell Sr., are the owners, but they are advanced in age. Lawrence Falwell’s son, Jimmy, is director of operations and he says the Falwells asked Liberty to buy Falwell Aviation “because they wanted to honor and support the mission of their late cousin, Jerry Falwell Sr., and because, as men in their late 80s, they wanted to find an exit from the business,” the News & Advance reported.

Calfin and Lawrence Falwell own Falwell Airport, which will not be part of the sale. Liberty University’s aeronautics programs have worked with Falwell Aviation in the past to train Liberty students in flying.

Calvin Falwell is a member of the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame.