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The San Marcos Regional Airport was named the 2022 Reliever Airport of the Year by the Texas Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division.
The city’s airport, which is managed by Texas Aviation Partners, received the award during TxDOT’s 40th Texas Aviation Conference on March 3. The City of San Marcos said TxDOT highlighted the regional airport’s increased traffic operations, upcoming multi-million project to reconstruct two main taxiways, proactive airport management and its economic impact while presenting the Reliever Airport of the Year award.
“As determined in our 2018 Texas Aviation Economic Impact Study, the San Marcos Regional Airport supports 664 jobs with an annual payroll of $22.7 million while contributing $82.1 million in annual economic activity to Texas,” TxDOT Aviation Division Director Dan Harmon said. “Congratulations to the San Marcos Regional Airport, the City of San Marcos, and all of the airport’s partners.”
Jim Wimberly, Texas Aviation Partners President, said San Marcos Regional Airport was also recognized with the honor from TxDOT for its efforts to promote and expand its viability.

San Marcos Regional Airport to Extend Tower Hours

Nick Castillo Managing Editor @Nick_Castillo74 [email protected] Friday, April 2, 2021 San Marcos Regional Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower will extend its operational hours by two hours each day to meet needs generated by increased air traffic, the City of San Marcos recently announced. The airport’s air traffic control tower will now be staffed from 7 […]

Berry Aviation, Inc. To Break Ground On 3.2 Million Dollar Expansion At The San Marcos Regional Airport

San Marcos, TX. – Last year, Berry Aviation, Inc. announced the signing of a 40-year land lease with the City of San Marcos and on Friday, April 20th – less than a year later – will break ground on a new 31,000+ square foot facility. The approximately $3.2 million investment will allow Berry to better accommodate their growing airline fleet and staff.

Texas Aviation Partners, the company contracted to manage San Marcos Regional Airport on behalf of the City, worked with Berry to secure the ground lease that will ensure Berry’s presence in San Marcos for the next four decades.

The new facility will house Berry’s maintenance and supply-chain headquarters, and will include a 20,000 square foot maintenance hangar, machine shop, non-destructive testing lab, state-of-the-art parts retrieval system, and more than 10,000 square feet of office space.

The facility will allow Berry to work on larger aircraft in a controlled environment and perform component overhaul for third party air carriers. Berry anticipates adding an additional 20 to 30 high-skilled employees as part of the expansion.

The San Marcos Chamber of Commerce, along with Texas Aviation Partners, the City of San Marcos, and Berry Aviation, will host a ground-breaking ceremony for Berry Aviation’s new facility at the San Marcos Regional Airport.

This event will be marked with the following speakers;

  • John Thomaides, Mayor of San Marcos
  • Jim Wimberly, Texas Aviation Partners
  • Jason Mock, President and CEO of the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Stan Finch, President of Berry Aviation
  • Scott Gregson, San Marcos Councilmember, Airport Advisory Board Chairman

Berry Aviation, Inc., founded in 1983, Berry Aviation, Inc. provides airlift and aviation support services to address challenging circumstances in industry and government. Headquartered in San Marcos, Texas, with satellite facilities across the U.S., the Middle East, Africa, and the Pacific Islands, Berry covers almost 2.5 million miles, performing more than 13,000 flight operations, annually. Berry specializes in solving geopolitical, regulatory, environment and time related air transportation complexities through capabilities-driven aviation. More information on the company’s services, certifications, and history can be found at www.berryaviation.com.

Texas Aviation Partners was founded in 2007 to offer a unique blend of aviation and business solutions. TAP provides services that range from airport and FBO management to business development plans, capital improvement project management, and consulting. To learn more, visit www.texasaviationpartners.com.

San Marcos Regional Airport occupies nearly 1,400 acres, San Marcos Regional Airport is the city’s largest parcel of developable land and has been managed by Texas Aviation Partners since 2010. The airport is home to more than 250 based aircraft and 13 aviation-related businesses employing over 150 people. San Marcos Regional is the only reliever airport in Texas for two international airports (Austin-Bergstrom and San Antonio International).

Source: https://smcorridornews.com/berry-aviation-inc-to-break-ground-on-3-2-million-dollar-expansion-at-the-san-marcos-regional-airport/

NTRA now candidate for FAA tower program

By Jerrie Whiteley, Herald Democrat

Posted Apr 3, 2018 at 11:17 AM

North Texas Regional Airport — Perrin Field’s control tower is now a candidate for the the Federal Aviation Administration’s contract tower program.

U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe and County Judge Bill Magers talked about the new status for the local control tower during Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting. For Grayson County residents, getting the tower into the program will mean a $300,000 relief off the county’s $30 million budget and an upgrade to part of the county’s economic engine.

“This wouldn’t have been possible without my staff’s tireless coordination with our home-state U.S. Senators and their staffs, constant contact with the FAA and DOT, and collaboration with Grayson County officials, including Judge Magers and Texas Aviation Partners,” Ratcliffe said in a press release. “Since the Trump administration took charge, I’m glad we’ve made drastic progress on this important Northeast Texas priority at a much more efficient pace, so that the folks I’m proud to represent can start reaping the rewards of our long-fought battle.”

Ratcliffe said there are just a few things the county had to do to get accepted into the program, but he doesn’t anticipate any trouble with that. County Judge Bill Magers said the county had yet to receive the task list for getting in, but has been assured it won’t be a problem.

The $300,000 that the county has had to put toward the airport could be put to work in other areas including, possibly, other transportation-related projects. Magers recently said the $300,000 represents about half a cent on the tax rate and could relate, at some point, to another tax decrease for the county.

Last month, Jamie Baker, director of public policy for U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, told commissioners that the county’s benefit-to-cost-ratio numbers regarding tower spending were up for final review with the federal government. If accepted into the program, the tower could receive up to $500,000 in annual funding, which would be an increase of about $200,000 for the airport.

Grayson County first moved to get the control tower into the FAA’s Tower Program in June 2012. The FAA program currently extends federal funds to most of the nation’s air traffic control towers which are stationed at airports that record at least 100,000 operations, or flights, each year.

Magers recently said NTRA records 80,000 annual operations, but that figure did not include operations which occurred during hours the tower was closed. If those after-hours operations were included in the count, Magers said the tower would surpass the 100,000 mark stipulated by the program.

While both Magers and Ratcliffe were quick to praise each other as they celebrated the announcement Tuesday, Magers also had congratulations for others.

“We want to give thanks to those who came before us,” Magers said indicating the commissioners and county judges who have invested county time and money in the airport in the past.

He said that effort went back decades before he became county judge.

“This moves us from a minor league airport to a major league airport,” Magers said of NTRA’s acceptance as a candidate for the federal program.

He said it should also make a difference to companies that are looking to locate in Grayson County.

Source: http://www.heralddemocrat.com/news/20180403/ntra-now-candidate-for-faa-tower-program

COVERING SAN MARCOS: D-Day plane arriving at new home

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The historic aircraft that led a formation of more than 800 C-47s to Normandy to drop paratroopers on D-Day will arrive at its new home on Tuesday.

The plane named ‘That’s All, Brother’ will make the final leg of its journey to its new home at the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) hangar at the San Marcos Regional Airport on March 6 at 1:00pm.

“That’s All, Brother is an American treasure,” said Wing Leader Joe Enzminger. “We are honored and humbled to be entrusted in the care of this iconic aircraft. Over the coming months, we hope thousands will come visit That’s All, Brother and help us by playing a part in returning the aircraft to Normandy, France for the 75th anniversary of D-Day.”

In 2015, U.S. Air Force historian Matt Scales discovered that the airplane wasting away in an aircraft boneyard in Wisconsin. Like so many aircraft which survived World War II, That’s All, Brother was used in a variety of post-war civilian roles, hauling people and cargo across the United States.

“Through the support of thousands of generous donors, we were able to rescue this historic plane from the boneyard and restore it to a wonderful piece of living history,” said Project Officer Andy Maag.

In January, the C-47 made a return to the skies after an extensive restoration performed by Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

“This is just one step of a long restoration journey. Now that the airplane is flyable, the next phase will focus on restoring the paint and the historic interior details,” said Maag. “In the coming months we will fly the plane extensively to events in order to build awareness and raise funds to enable the plane to return to Europe in 2019 for the commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of D-Day as well as the 70th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift.”

If you’d like to know more about aircraft tours, aviation events and educational programs, go to www.ThatsAllBrother.org.

Source: http://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/covering-san-marcos-d-day-plane-arriving-at-new-home

5 stories to follow in 2018: #3. Pearland Regional Airport receives TxDOT grant, plans changes to safety and security

By Haley Morrison | 9:30 am Jan. 20, 2018

The latest Pearland Regional Airport was awarded a state grant that will begin and end in 2018. This grant will allow for safety and security updates to the airport. Pearland Regional is a reliever airport for William B. Hobby Airport in Houston. While the Pearland airport has existed since the 1950s, Texas Aviation Partners took over in late 2013. According to Texas Aviation Partners co-owner Stephen Alexander, changes to drainage have been made since then. This allowed aircraft from the airport to fly supplies out during Hurricane Harvey. The airport was annexed into the city during the Pearland City Council meeting that was held Nov. 27. The airport has also added new hangars, remodeled the terminal building and added full-service concierge-level amenities, including rental cars, flight planning and assistance with hotel accommodations since 2015.

What’s next The Texas Department of Transportation grant will allow for a number of safety and security updates, including new gates, lighting upgrades and airport striping and marking. The airport has four gates, all of which will be evaluated. Some of the gates may be replaced after the evaluation. These safety and security precautions will affect both the flying and driving public. Increased signage as well as repairs to the gates will discourage drivers from mistakenly driving onto a runway.

This story is one update from The January Issue. View the full list of Top 5 stories to follow in 2018 here.

Source: https://communityimpact.com/houston/pearland-friendswood/development-construction/2018/01/20/pearland-regional-airport-receives-txdot-grant-plans-changes-to-safety-and-security/

Pearland Regional Airport to use $500,000 grant for upgrades

By Kristi Nix, [email protected]

Published 4:59 pm, Sunday, July 16, 2017

The Pearland Regional Airport is set to launch $500,000 in renovations and upgrades thanks to a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration that will be administered by the Texas Department of Transportation.

The grant will fund safety and security improvements including new entrance gates, signage, striping and lighting designed to increase visibility of runway markings for pilots.

Project costs will be funded through the Clover Acquisition Corp. and TxDot’s Aviation Facilities Grant Program.

“The airport is truly a small city now, and this grant will go a long way to ensuring that the airport is set to safely and efficiently continue its robust development,” said Stephen Alexander of Texas Aviation Partners, the managing firm of the airport. “The enhancements the airport will receive will help to make sure that aircraft can navigate the airport safely, alongside their four-wheeled counterparts.”

The airport, a privately owned airfield open to the public, is home to a variety of tenants and businesses including several flights schools, airplane and helicopter maintenance shops and 20 full-time residents who live in homes or condos connected to private airplane storage facilities.

Built as a private facility in 1940 by the George R. Brown family, the 320-acre airport was transitioned to public use in 1950. Clover Acquisition acquired the property in 1957 and renamed it Clover Field. The airport, which has one 5,000-foot runway that can accommodate up to medium-size aircraft, was renamed Pearland Regional Airport in 2003. Texas Aviation Partners took over management in June 2013.

Two flying clubs, Coastal Skies and the Bar Area Aero Club, are based at the airport. In addition to flying lessons, airplane rentals and air tours for non-pilots interested in sightseeing, the clubs offer group comprehensive insurance and social events for members.

Operations manager Adam Arceneaux said the improvements will provide new security gates at the four airport entrances.

“We also plan to upgrade all the taxiway and runway lights, install additional lights and refurbish the airport beacon tower,” he said.

“Our goal is to maintain a safe environment for pilots and make sure we are ahead of the curve in terms of infrastructure.”

He said contracts will be awarded for all the proposed upgrades through a competitive bidding process.

The work should start this month or August and take two to three months to complete.

“We’re working to manage growth in a smart, measured way,” he said. “We want to make data-driven decisions for not just the airport but for the entire community. This grant is the next step for us.”

This grant is a huge shot of adrenaline because it helps us step up our game.”

Representative Ed Thompson, R-Pearland, said the grant would give the airport the opportunity to increase its economic development impact within the area.

“General aviation is a vital industry to our state’s economic growth,” he said.

“I’m so pleased that Pearland Regional Airport is being recognized for their contribution and being given the opportunity to expand their impact.”

Texas Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan also praised the airport.

“Providing this funding to the Pearland Regional Airport is key to supporting area aviation,” she said. “This is a vibrant facility that plays an important economic role in the local community.”

Source: http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/pearland/news/article/Pearland-Regional-Airport-to-use-500-000-grant-11292433.php#photo-13252199

Texas Aviation Partners plans NTRA runway reopening

By Michael Hutchins, Herald Democrat

Officials with Texas Aviation Partners announced plans Thursday to restore and reopen a portion of one of North Texas Regional Airport — Perrin Field’s two parallel runways to aviation traffic. The runway, which has remained closed since the closure of Perrin Air Force Base in 1971, will be used to separate and segregate the traffic that comes into, and leaves, the airport, officials said.

The announcement was made during Thursday’s meeting of the Grayson County Regional Mobility Authority as a part of the airport manager’s report. Currently, the airport is equipped with three runways — the two parallel runways and a third cross runway.

“The main goal of that (opening the runway) would be to segregate your light (aircraft) … away from your jet traffic,” NTRA Airport Manager Sarah Hinton said during Thursday’s meeting.

Hinton said the airport currently has about an 8,000 foot stretch of unused runway space that dates back to the airport’s time as a military base. Of that space, Hinton proposed repairing 3,000 feet so that it can be used by smaller aircraft and training aircraft. This would leave the larger airstrip for more powerful jet aircraft, she said.

Hinton said the repairs needed to this section of runway are primarily crack- and chip-seal work and new painting. Other maintenance, including herbicide and brush removal, are already included in the budget, she said.

Stephen Alexander, a partner with Texas Aviation Partners, said the portion of runway was chosen due to its condition and the relative ease of bringing it up to usable condition. During her presentation, Hinton said the chosen portion of runway would cost about $70,000 to seal and repaint. With a 20 percent contingency fee, Hinton said she did not expect the project to go over $100,000.

When the topic of rebuilding the existing runway was brought up later in the meeting, Grayson County Judge Bill Magers estimated the cost at about $7 million.

The need for additional runway space stems from training flight operations conducted by US Aviation. Alexander said the flight school conducts daily operations using prop-driven aircraft at the airport with regular takeoff and touchdowns on the runway. This traffic could make it difficult at times for larger, jet-powered aircraft to land, he said.

By separating the traffic, Alexander said the airport could alleviate any safety issues related to the two types of aircraft operating in the same space. As an analogy, Alexander compared the proposed layout as a four-lane highway, where as the airport now is close to a two-lane roadway.

With the separation of these uses, Magers said he hopes to attract more jet traffic to NTRA and with it other forms of development and industry. Additionally, by reducing the landing times, Magers said the airport can reduce the cost to use the airport by jet pilots, further incentivizing NTRA as a viable destination.

During public comments on the topic, George Shuler asked what stakeholders, including US Aviation thought about the proposed location of the open runway space. Shuler said he was concerned that the distance between the flight school and the runway space would create an unneeded burden on US Aviation. Shuler asked if it would be possible to instead renovate space to the south that would be closer to the flight school.

Alexander said US Aviation has expressed support for the project, and noted that the distance between where the flight school regularly takes off and the new runway space is not significant.

Magers said Grayson County will be financing the improvements using capital improvement funds allocated in the 2016-2017 budget. During the discussion, Magers thanked Lawrence for his foresight during the budgeting process and making this improvement possible.

While the funding is available now, Magers said he was uncertain whether the improvements would take place during the current or next fiscal year due to timing. Hinton said NTRA will need to wait for approval from the Federal Aviation Administration before it can repair and open the air strip. She estimated it could take about 60 days for the proper permits to be approved.

Source: http://www.heralddemocrat.com/news/20170713/texas-aviation-partners-plans-ntra-runway-reopening

TXDOT Approves Grant For Pearland Airport

By: Pearland.com

The Pearland Regional Airport will be getting some much-needed upgrades now that a $500,000 grant from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has been approved. Even though the grant is federal, TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) actually approves who gets it and how it is spent. The money will go towards safety and security improvements at Pearland Regional Airport, including new entrance gates, signage, striping, electrical and lighting. The main focus will be helping reduce the chance of vehicles from entering the runways and taxiways, as well as enhancing the visibility of markings for pilots flying to and from Pearland Regional.

“The enhancements the airport is going to receive will help to make sure aircraft can navigate the airport and move safely alongside their four-wheeled counterparts,” said Stephen Alexander – Texas Aviation Partners.

“Over the past eighteen months, Pearland Regional Airport has seen explosive growth, including nearly forty new hangars, new commercial businesses arriving, and a substantial increase in full time employment.”

According to TXDOT, arrivals and departures from community airports account for more than three million flight hours per year and provide aircraft facilities for agricultural, medical, business and commuter use.

The work in and around Pearland Regional Airport will start this summer and take two to three months to complete.

“Pearland is truly a small city now, and this grant will go a long way to ensuring that the airport is set to safely and efficiently continue its robust development,” added Alexander. “We are excited for what the future holds for Pearland Regional Airport as it continues to become a stronger and stronger contributor to the greater Pearland community.”

Texas Aviation Partners manages and operates Pearland Regional Airport on behalf of the airport owner, Clover Acquisition Corporation. For more information or to sign up for the airport’s monthly newsletters, please visit www.flypearland.com

Source: https://www.pearland.com/message_board/view_message.php?parent_message_id=1054237&&fb=1

Veteran flight training program takes off in San Marcos

By Alicia Inns

SAN MARCOS (KXAN) — Military helicopter pilots who have a desire to enter into a commercial airline career now have the chance through training done in San Marcos.

Coast Flight Training, the San Diego-based company that recruits and trains veteran and civilian talent to fly commercial airlines, began operating at San Marcos Regional Airport in January 2017 and has currently enrolled 200 students for training this year. An official ribbon-cutting takes place Friday.

The Rotary Transition Program (RTP) in San Marcos is designed to train experienced helicopter pilots to meet the FAA requirements for fixed-wing pilots going into an airline career. As a partner with Envoy and American Airlines Group, Coast Flight Training offers pilot candidates a direct connection to transition directly into the cockpit with a conditional job offer once the program is completed.

For veteran Gary L. Good, the fascination with soaring above the clouds started early. “I actually wanted to be an astronaut when I was a young guy,” Good said.

He served in the Army for 22 years as an officer and Black Hawk helicopter pilot.

“With solo military flights in a helicopter school, most of them have buddy flights where there’s another student in the aircraft. But here we do our first actual solo driving up in a plane so it’s pretty amazing,” Good says.

Officials hope it helps meet a growing pilot shortage nationwide because many veterans already have their license with the FAA.

“Most of these guys have an excess of 1,500 flight hours so they automatically qualify in terms of experience,” said Dan Verda, director of operations for Coast Flight. “They’re already getting a qualified capable pilot, the minute they walk through the door. They are taking that wealth of knowledge and experience that they’ve built over 10, 15, 20 years in the military and they are going to capitalize that to get mature seasoned aviators.”

Boeing estimates more than 500,000 new pilots will be needed globally over the next 20 years. In the U.S., the four largest airlines plan to retire a minimum of 18,000 pilots by 2022 due to a mandatory retirement age of 65, creating an expected shortfall of 35,000 pilots.

Coast Flight Training maintains an aircraft fleet of 25 in San Marcos with an additional 10 being added by early fall. Monthly traffic counts for San Marcos Regional Airport have doubled since training began. Coast Flight Training maintains a student count of 65 at any given time and expects to grow from 10 to 15 employees by late summer with plans to ultimately employ 40.

Source: http://kxan.com/2017/05/19/veteran-flight-training-program-takes-off-in-san-marcos/