Rectrix Buys APP Jet Center

June 14, 2013
Rectrix Commercial Aviation Services said Tuesday it has acquired the APP Jet Center, a major fixed-base operator at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

Rectrix Commercial Aviation Services said Tuesday it has acquired the APP Jet Center, a major fixed-base operator at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

The acquisition of the former Jones Aviation reduces the number of operators that provide fuel and other services at the airport from three to two.

Dolphin Aviation remains on the airport's west side and Rectrix will be on the east.

For Rectrix, which operates a full-service executive flight terminal at the airport, the acquisition comes on the heels of a January deal in which it bought AirFlyte Inc., a Westfield, Mass., terminal with a sizeable jet maintenance operations.

Rectrix officials said they hope to leverage that purchase in Southwest Florida.

"We are going to open a satellite jet maintenance center at this site," said Richard Cawley, president and chief executive of Rectrix.

"SRQ has a lot of growth potential."

The deal, for an undisclosed amount, also expands Rectrix' footprint from 24 to 40 acres and gives it five additional hangars.

Jones Aviation operated at the airport for many years until being acquired by Volo Aviation, of Connecticut, in 2007. Airport Property Partners LLC, in turn, acquired Volo in 2009, renaming it APP Jet Center Sarasota.

"For APP, it allows us to realign our assets and pursue more properties in other markets," said Thom Harrow, Airport Property Partners' chief executive.

Cawley added that Rectrix intends to hire airplane mechanics and other technicians as it fully absorbs its new space.

"We know there's a market," Cawley said. "Let's face it: Sarasota-Bradenton is a great place to live.

"So we will have no problem acquiring the right help."

Copyright 2013 Sarasota Herald-Tribune Co.All Rights Reserved