In 1997, the New Hanover County Airport Authority voted to change the name of the local airport from New Hanover International Airport to Wilmington International Airport. Parks Griffin, the vice chairman of the Airport Authority, explained that the name change was to avoid confusion for pilots and passengers as the city’s name is more widely recognized than the county’s. Griffin, who managed the motion at the meeting, told the Star News, “It simplifies our identity from a marketing perspective, which is especially important in the area of federal aviation.” The name change wouldn’t be official until December 17th, the 94th anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight at Kitty Hawk.
