“Houma Airport is a gem of an aviation facility that has not ever been fully exploited from a general aviation standpoint,” said Duke Williams, co-owner of FBO Houma Jet Center. Williams opened the Louisiana FBO almost two years ago, and getting into the business happened as it does with so many other FBOs: the FBO owner operated a business aircraft and saw an opportunity in the FBO sector. Flying around the U.S. in the company Premier I, Williams, a former Naval aviator, figured that he could build a competitive FBO at Houma’s underutilized airport. “We own and operate our own aircraft,” he said, “and I wanted to take the best of everything we encountered in our travels and put that into our FBO.”
What Williams tried to do was imbue Houma Jet Center with a “home away from home” feel, with less formality and more opportunities for visitors to relax. Even though the FBO is housed in temporary facilities, Williams said the people who work there, such as customer service manager Missy Rochel, have created a warm atmosphere where visitors feel welcome. “One of the goals we set out to achieve,” he said, “was to treat the guy who flies in a Gulfstream V and the guy who flies in a Skyhawk equally.” And part of that enjoyment includes free coffee, beef jerky, popcorn, sodas and often a steaming bowl of gumbo or crawfish etoufee.
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