“I love doing this. I wish I could do it every day.” Skeets Cooper spoke those words the morning of Monday, April 28, 2025, following a press conference held at the Pickens County Airport in Liberty celebrating South Carolina Aviation Week. After the press conference, Cooper, who is the South Carolina Aeronautics District 3 Commissioner, flew his airplane and then delighted in showing his plane to children from Dacusville Elementary School’s three-year-old and four-year-old kindergarten classes. He told the children to call him Papa Skeets, as he explained about the plane’s parts and then opened the plane’s door and allowed the excited children to look inside. The children also enjoyed free ice cream from The Scoop at The Airport and enjoyed playing at the Airport Playground.

The press conference opened with a welcome from Airport Manager Carlos Salinas and remarks by South Carolina Forestry Commission Protection Chief Darryl Jones, South Carolina Aeronautics Commission Executive Director Gary Siegfried, State Senator and Senate President Thomas Alexander (who represents part of Pickens and Oconee Counties), and State Representative and House Majority Leader Davey Hiott (who represents District 4, which includes Liberty and his hometown of Pickens).

To listen to the press conference in its entirety, click on the play button below.