Chesterfield County Airport Logo Design

The Challenge

Recreational air flight has slowed dramatically due to recent economic conditions, which has reduced overall traffic through Chesterfield County Airport. Chesterfield County hopes to change that trend with a complete overhaul of the airport, including its branding. Highlighting its location within a short drive of downtown Richmond and other business hubs in the area, Chesterfield County is targeting executive business travelers, while increasing awareness of the airport itself.

The Solution

Working with the Chesterfield County Airport Manager and the Chesterfield County Department of Economic Development, MPD designed a new logo for the airport that features an executive jet with the skyline of downtown Richmond in the background. (If you know the city skyline well, you can probably even pick out specific buildings.) The new logo also includes the name “Richmond’s Executive Airport” and the Airport call sign “FCI.” If you look closely, the stabilizer of the plane mimics the pick of a coal miner. This, along with the overall circular shape of the logo, is a nod to the Chesterfield County seal.

Focusing on business travelers—by highlighting the speed and convenience of a smaller airport as compared to the hassles of larger airports, and focusing on the name "Richmond's Executive Airport"—is a unique approach for a regional airport. This aims the airport's branding directly at executive business travelers.

This rebranding is part of a larger multi-million dollar effort that will extend the runway and open the airport to longer-distance flights. Read more about that project here.