With the addition of its newest facility at California’s Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Signature Flight Support is embarking on a new way to operate FBOs–a management contract with the owner of the facility. Given that many major hotel chains are operated this way, it’s perhaps a little surprising that large FBO chains haven’t already tried this method. For Signature parent BBA Aviation, the Fresno FBO is the first to be operated in this way, but the company is open to the opportunity to do more deals like this, according to president Michael Scheeringa.
The idea of managing FBOs owned by other entities isn’t new; Wilson Air Center already does this at its Charlotte, N.C. location, but that facility is owned by the airport, not a private company. In Fresno, what became Signature’s newest FBO began as an FBO called Scott Aircraft, but that facility was taken over by a bank during the downturn. David McDonald, former CEO of Pelco, owns a Gulfstream G550, which is operated under McDonald Aviation and available for charter through Executive Jet Management. McDonald’s G550 was hangared at Scott Aviation, and he bought the facility in April.
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