Exhibit31.1

I, David E. Sharbutt, certifythat:

|          |                                                                         |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.  | I have reviewed this quarterly reporton Form 10-Q of AirGate PCS, Inc.; |

|          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2.  | Based onmy knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of amaterial fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make thestatements made, in light of the circumstances under which suchstatements were made, not misleading with respect to the period coveredby this report; |

|          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 3.  | Based on my knowledge, thefinancial statements, and other financial information included in thisreport, fairly present in all material respects the financialcondition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant asof, and for, the periods presented in thisreport; |

|          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 4.  | The registrant's othercertifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing andmaintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in ExchangeAct Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have: |

|          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| a.  | Designed such disclosure controlsand procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to bedesigned under our supervision, to ensure that material informationrelating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, ismade known to us by others within those entities, particularly duringthe period in which this report is being prepared; |

|          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| b.  | Evaluated the effectiveness of theregistrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented inthis report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosurecontrols and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by thisreport based on such evaluation; and |

|          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| c.  | Disclosed in this report any changein the registrant's internal control over financial reportingthat occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter(the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annualreport) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely tomaterially affect, the registrant's internal control overfinancial reporting; and |

|          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 5.  | Theregistrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed,based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financialreporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committeeof the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing theequivalent functions): |

|          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| a.  | Allsignificant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design oroperation of internal control over financial reporting which arereasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability torecord, process, summarize and report financial information; and |

|          |                                                                                                                                                                         |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| b.  | Any fraud, whether or not material,that involves management or other employees who have a significant rolein the registrant's internal control over financialreporting. |

Date: May 16, 2005

|  | /s/   David E. Sharbutt  DavidE. Sharbutt Chairman and Chief ExecutiveOfficer |
|--|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

----