rental, flight instruction, aircraft maintenance, helicopter services, aircraft management, fuel service, aircraft sales, air charter and air taxi. GMU has a restaurant, the Runway Cafe, and a public park where people can learn about aviation. In 2016, the airport had 91,612 aircraft operations, average 412 per day: 65% general aviation, 32% air taxi, and 3% military. 410 aircraft are based at this airport. Governance The Greenville Downtown Airport is governed by a five-person appointed Commission authorized by Act 919. Two appointees each from city and county councils, and one at-large, serve three-year terms. Economic impact The South Carolina Statewide Aviation System Plan & Economic Impact Report released in 2018 concluded that in 2017 the Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) had a significant annual economic impact on the state of South Carolina and our local region. They determined that GMU had the following direct and indirect/induced economic impact: Employment: 547 Payroll: $24.9 million Economic activity: $68.8 million Air traffic GMU's air traffic is heavier than any other general aviation airport in South Carolina and is topped by only three commercial airports (Myrtle Beach International, Charleston International/Air Force Base and Columbia Metropolitan) in South Carolina. Based aircraft GMU has more based aircraft than any other airport in South Carolina. Awards The FAA Southern Region selected GMU to receive its General Aviation Airport Safety Award. The award is presented to a general aviation airport in the Southeast that makes outstanding efforts to increase flight safety. GMU accomplished this by completing numerous safety-enhancing projects. Of particular note, GMU was the first general aviation airport in the nation to install an Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) in the latter part of 2003. EMAS rapidly and safely decelerates aircraft that have overrun the active runway by utilizing energy absorbing material. In the summer of 2006, this system was credited with saving five passengers and a $20 million Falcon 900 jet that overran Runway 1 due to a brake malfunction. The FAA Southern Region selected Joe Frasher, Airport Director of GMU, as the 2008 General Aviation Airport Manager of the Year. This award is presented to a general aviation airport manager in the Southeast who makes outstanding efforts to increase flight safety. Frasher had been instrumental in completing numerous safety-enhancing projects at GMU over the previous 26 years. "The staff of the Greenville Downtown Airport is distinguished in its commitment to continually increasing flight safety," said Rusty Chapman,