Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

Barring a last-minute stay from the FAA or the Orange County Superior Court, Signature Flight Support is planning to exit John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, California, tomorrow.&nbsp;The departure will end a 20-year presence by Signature at the airport in a move directed by the Orange County board of supervisors.


The supervisors on February 28 reaffirmed their decision to retain Atlantic Aviation on the airport but award a second, temporary leasehold to a smaller, local FBO chain—ACI Jet. For ACI Jet, the location would be its fourth; it has other locations at smaller airports in San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Oceano.


Signature <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-03-08/signature-files-part-16-action-over-sna-fbo-decision">filed a Part 16 complaint </a>earlier this month with the FAA over the board’s decision, and yesterday filed writ of mandate with the Orange County Superior Court asking for relief. Signature had not yet received a response at press time.


Both Signature and ACI Jet have retained well-known Washington, D.C. counsel to represent them in the dispute over the leasehold. Kathryn Thomson, a former Transportation Inspector General who is an attorney with Morrison &amp; Foerster, is representing Signature, while Flight Safety Foundation general counsel and former FAA chief counsel Ken Quinn, who is a partner in the law firm Pillsbury, is representing ACI Jet.


Thomson accused the board of going to “extraordinary lengths to manipulate the [contract bidding process] to a predetermined outcome,” but Quinn assured the board that Part 16 FBO complaints are rarely successful and said, “There’s been no discrimination. You welcome new entrants."


Current Signature tenants at SNA, meanwhile, have the option to stay under the new leasehold. “We are also able to make accommodations at our other Southern California airports and will do everything we can to support our customers,” a Signature spokesman said.

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Facing Deadline To Leave SNA, Signature Turns to Courts

Signature is planning to exit SNA tomorrow, but filed a write of mandate seeking relief from a Superior Court in Orange County.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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