Fifty-five miles northeast of Atlanta. No terminals. No TSA. Your Sprinter waiting at the FBO — 15 minutes from Lake Lanier, 22 minutes from Chateau Elan.
Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL/KGVL) is the private aviation gateway to northeast Georgia — Lake Lanier, Chateau Elan, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, and one of the state's most significant corporate corridors. The field sits at 1,277 feet elevation in Gainesville, the seat of Hall County and the recognized Poultry Capital of the World.
For guests whose destination is anywhere in the Lake Lanier region, GVL eliminates 55 miles of highway and an hour of ground time compared to arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson. There is no commercial traffic here, no TSA screening, no terminal walk. You step from the aircraft to the Sprinter at the FBO and the transfer begins immediately.
With 134 based aircraft — including seven corporate jets — and approximately 38,800 annual operations, Lee Gilmer serves both the region's substantial corporate community and its equally significant resort and recreation economy.
Primary runway with ILS approach and instrument lighting
Based aircraft including 7 jets, 19 multi-engine, 107 single-engine
Annual operations — 98% general aviation
Lee Gilmer Memorial is a city-owned, public-use airport established in 1940 and named for local aviation pioneer Lee Gilmer. The field covers 292 acres and operates two asphalt runways. Runway 5/23, the primary, measures 5,500 by 100 feet in excellent condition with a precision ILS/DME approach, MALSR lighting, and PAPI visual slope indicators. Runway 11/29 provides a 4,003-foot crosswind alternative.
There is no control tower. Communications operate on CTAF/UNICOM 123.075 with Atlanta Approach/Departure on 132.475 during operating hours. Weather is available via ASOS on 126.475. The field elevation is 1,277 feet MSL.
The airport houses 81 T-hangars and 12 corporate hangars, with waitlists reflecting the sustained demand from the region's corporate base. Fuel is available 24 hours via self-service credit card access, with full-service Jet-A and 100LL through Champion Aviation.
Daylight Operations, 365 Days
Full-service FBO, Jet-A and 100LL fueling, aircraft storage, tie-downs, rental cars, hotel reservations, catering coordination, conference room
Daylight Operations
Flight instruction, aircraft maintenance, self-serve 100LL fueling, aircraft sales and management
Gainesville is the headquarters of America's poultry industry. The city earned the title Poultry Capital of the World through decades of vertical integration pioneered here, and today the sector's largest processors — including Pilgrim's Pride, Koch Foods, and Mar-Jac Poultry — maintain significant operations in the Gainesville-Hall County corridor. Kubota Manufacturing of America also operates its North American production facility here.
For executives flying in to visit these operations, GVL places them on the ground and in a Sprinter within minutes of landing — no hour-long transfer from Hartsfield-Jackson through Atlanta traffic.
Lake Lanier is Georgia's largest lake — 38,000 acres of water, more than 700 miles of shoreline, and home to Lanier Islands Resort with its 1,200 acres of golf, waterfront dining, and Margaritaville entertainment. It is the region's primary leisure destination.
Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in nearby Braselton offers 3,500 acres encompassing a European-style winery, spa, seven restaurants, and 45 holes of championship golf. Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, one of North America's premier road courses, hosts Petit Le Mans and draws international motorsport audiences to its 750-acre facility.
Each of these properties is within 25 minutes of Lee Gilmer Memorial — a fraction of the time required from any Atlanta-area airport.
Provide your tail number, estimated arrival time, and destination. Your chauffeur coordinates with Champion Aviation and handles all ground logistics from there.
Your chauffeur tracks your aircraft in real time and arrives at the FBO before you land. Delays, diversions, and early arrivals are adjusted automatically.
When your aircraft arrives, the Sprinter is already at Champion Aviation. Your chauffeur meets you at the aircraft and handles all luggage.
Step from the aircraft into cream leather. Lake Lanier in 15 minutes. Chateau Elan in 22. Michelin Raceway in 25. No terminal, no wait, no traffic through Atlanta.
10 miles
15 minutes
18 miles
22 minutes
22 miles
25 minutes
55 miles
55 minutes
54 miles
54 minutes
From $175
One-way to or from GVL. Includes chauffeur, FBO coordination, luggage handling, and all amenities.
From $175/hr
Your Sprinter and chauffeur at your disposal. Airport transfer plus Lake Lanier, Chateau Elan, or multi-stop itineraries.
From $175 per transfer · FBO coordination · Lake Lanier in 15 minutes
Yes. Your chauffeur coordinates directly with Champion Aviation Services, the full-service FBO at Lee Gilmer Memorial. The Sprinter is positioned at the FBO before you land, and your chauffeur handles all luggage and ground coordination so you transition directly from the aircraft to the cabin.
Lake Lanier is approximately 10 miles south of the airport, a 15-minute transfer. Lanier Islands Resort, Margaritaville at Lanier Islands, and the major marina communities are all within a short, unhurried drive from GVL.
Runway 5/23 is 5,500 feet with an ILS approach, instrument lighting, and a weight capacity of 100,000 lbs double-wheel. This accommodates most midsize jets comfortably. Super-midsize and larger aircraft should confirm runway requirements with their flight department, as performance varies by conditions and load.
For guests whose destination is Lake Lanier, Chateau Elan, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, or anywhere in the Gainesville corridor, GVL eliminates an hour or more of ground time compared to arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson. No commercial traffic, no TSA, no terminal. You land, step into the Sprinter, and arrive.