Industry News

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Migratory Bird Management program receives nine new Kodiak float planes to monitor and manage waterfowl and other migratory bird populations. Aircraft also can be used to conduct aerial damage assessments due to environmental disasters such as hurricanes, and enable remote sensing and survey work in portions of the continent previously inaccessible using older, limited-range aircraft.

West Star Aviation, Inc. — concludes an agreement with Yankee Pacific Aerospace, Inc. to assume 100 percent interest in Premier Aircraft, LLC of East Alton, IL.

FBO Snapshots

TAC Air opens new terminal at Lexington
TAC Air, a division of Truman Arnold Companies, opens a new 12,000 sq. ft. executive terminal at Blue Grass Airport (LEX). The facility features a replica of a Beechcraft Staggerwing suspended from the atrium ceiling. TAC Air has also opened 45,000 sq. ft. of new hangar space in time for the upcoming Equestrian Games.
The TAC Air chain is currently undergoing facility upgrades at four other locations.

Melbourne to welcome Embraer Center
Embraer, one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, is investing some $51 million in a state-of-the-art Customer Center and Final Assembly Facility to build and showcase its Phenom 100 and 300 aircraft at Melbourne (FL) Int’l Airport. The company is expected to bring 200 new jobs to the airport. Embraer expects the facility to be fully operational in June 2011.

AAR teams with OKC for new GA terminal
AAR and the City of Oklahoma City Department of Airports jointly announce the opening of a new fixed base operation corporate/general aviation terminal at Will Rogers World Airport. The $1.8 million, 6,000-sq. ft. facility is the culmination of a public/private partnership between AAR and the city designed to provide customers with an inviting gateway to the local business district and other attractions.