For the past three years, like many others, I have read in The Pilot the saga of attracting airline service to Pinehurst.

I have been a businessman most of my life, and I am surprised that it has seldom been mentioned what many Marketing 101 books indicate: Successful businesses, when developing a business proposition, conduct a market research study as the first priority.

This study will quantify the opportunity offered by the two markets involved: the local travelers and the visitors/golfers.

I ask myself: has the Airport Authority conducted a well-organized research program? A well-conducted study should tell us once and for all if we are chasing a rainbow.

These days, with the new economy, new reorganizations and consolidations, many airlines are running with high load factors. If we cannot present a case for higher load factors to a potential airline, on the one hand, and the right frequency to suit the flying public, on the other, it will be very difficult to attract any service locally and make it successful.

We have a great community college with many qualified teachers who have the knowledge to direct qualitative and quantitative market research studies to ascertain once and for all whether or not there is the potential to attract an airline.

These professionals may have access to other marketing departments in nearby universities (UNCP for example) and get other professors and students involved. The cost could be minimal, and I am confident this effort would be publicized and appreciated by our citizenry.

The findings could be further refined by an "expensive" research agency, should there be a need at a later stage. But let's get the nearby academics involved first!

Felice Schillaci

Pinehurst