Ground Mountain Airport (00VI) — Hillsville, Virginia
Ground Mountain Airport (FAA identifier: 00VI) is a private general aviation strip near Hillsville in Carroll County, Virginia, situated in the Blue Ridge Highlands of southwestern Virginia. Carroll County occupies the southern end of Virginia's Blue Ridge, where the mountains flatten into the Piedmont of North Carolina nearby and the terrain creates dramatic views across multiple ridgelines. Hillsville, the county seat, sits at approximately 2,500 feet MSL on the Blue Ridge Plateau, making this one of Virginia's highest-elevation communities and contributing to meaningful density altitude effects for pilots during warm summer months.
Operating from Ground Mountain Airport in Hillsville's high plateau environment requires careful performance planning. At 2,500+ feet MSL on a hot summer day, effective density altitude can reach 4,000–5,000 feet, significantly reducing the climb rate and runway performance of normally aspirated piston aircraft. The "Ground Mountain" name is evocative of the terrain — ridgelines that appear to rise from the ground itself in the southwest Virginia highland environment. Carroll County's aviation facilities are complemented by Virginia Highlands Airport (VJI) in Abingdon to the southwest and Twin County Airport (HLX) nearby, which provides public-use access for the Carroll-Grayson county region.
Frequently Asked Questions
What elevation is Hillsville, Virginia?
Hillsville sits at approximately 2,500 feet above mean sea level (MSL) on the Blue Ridge Plateau of Carroll County. This elevation is among the highest for any county seat in Virginia and creates significant density altitude considerations for pilots, particularly during summer when temperatures reduce aircraft performance further.
What is Carroll County known for?
Carroll County is famous for the Carroll County Courthouse Tragedy of 1912, one of Virginia's most dramatic historical events, and for the Blue Ridge Music Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which celebrates the region's rich Appalachian musical heritage. The county is a center of southwestern Virginia's traditional music culture and hosts major bluegrass and old-time music events.
What public airports are near Hillsville?
Twin County Airport (HLX) near Galax/Hillsville provides the nearest public-use general aviation service. Virginia Highlands Airport (VJI) in Abingdon and the New River Valley Airport (PSK) in Dublin serve the broader southwest Virginia region for instrument approaches and commercial connections.
Ground Mountain Airport - 00vi Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Hillsville, Virginia.
| Name | Ground Mountain Airport - 00vi |
| Address | Old Mill Road, Hillsville VA 24343 Map |
| Phone | (276) 398-3284 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Ground Mountain Airport - 00vi
Southwest Virginia Highlands Aviation — Carroll County
Carroll County sits at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains where they transition into the piedmont of North Carolina, a geographic position that makes it both visually spectacular and operationally challenging for aviation. The plateau environment here means that pilots are always operating at altitude — ground elevation itself is already at 2,000–2,800 feet MSL throughout much of the county. Private strips like Ground Mountain Airport serve a rural community where the nearest commercial airport requires a significant drive, and personal aviation provides meaningful access to medical, business, and family connections in larger cities.
The New River Valley and Blue Ridge Highlands region of southwestern Virginia has a strong tradition of music, craftsmanship, and outdoor recreation that draws visitors from throughout the eastern United States. Aviation access to this region has historically been limited, with only a handful of public airports serving several thousand square miles of mountain and plateau terrain. Virginia DOT Aviation has prioritized connectivity in the region through support for facilities like Twin County Airport and Virginia Highlands Airport, recognizing that southwest Virginia's economic development depends partly on maintaining aviation links to the broader state and national economy.