LOCAL

Bay airport OKs $25M deal for second private, corporate airplane operator as demand soars

Nathan Cobb
The News Herald

PANAMA CITY BEACH — A second fixed-base operator is coming to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP). 

During an Airport Authority meeting Wednesday, officials announced a 30-year agreement with Southern Sky Aviation for the company to invest more than $25 million to build a FBO on about 11 acres of airport property. 

According to Parker McClellan, executive director of ECP, Southern Sky will work alongside Sheltair Aviation Services, which already has a base at the airport, to service small private and corporate airplanes. Fixed-base operators are terminals for these types of smaller aircraft. 

"It's part of providing full services at the airport," McClellan said of why FBOs are important. "We have that today with Sheltair, and (Southern Sky) recognizes that there is a demand in our community, and they want to be part of the growth of ECP."

Airport Authority officials have announced a $25 million deal to add a second private and corporate airplane operator to the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport's footprint.

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A press release from Southern Sky notes the development will include more than 10 acres of new ramps, 73,000 square feet of hangar space and an 8,800-square-foot terminal.

There also will be a conference room, lounge, offices, shower facilities and a flight planning and refreshment center.

"There is a significant need for a second fixed-base operator on the airfield, and that is truly being driven by the growth," said Donald Howell, president and CFO of Southern Sky Aviation.

Howell, who noted his company is based in Alabama, said he plans for construction on the new FBO to break ground in October. If everything goes according to plan, it should be complete by December 2023, Howell said. 

However, he hopes to begin servicing plans at ECP as early as next summer, working from a temporary facility while the permanent base is being built.

"There is tremendous growth that has occurred at that airfield, and so just like in any service business, you want to make sure that you can meet the service needs of the users and constituents of the airfield," Howell said. "Our company had identified ECP as a target location where we wanted to expand.

"... We are excited that we have achieved that goal and that we are helping the airport service customers."