CAA: GA News, "Redding, California company providing FBO services"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Monday, September 23, 2002

Redding company providing FBO services
By LAURA URSENY
The Chico (CA) Enterprise Record


For the past 13 years, Redding Aero Enterprise Inc. has provided fixed
base operator services to Redding Municipal Airport.

Since Sept. 1, the company has been doing that in Chico under the name
Chico Aviation.

Redding Aero is in escrow over the assets for Pacific Flight Service,
which has been Chico's FBO since the late 1980s. An FBO provides
maintenance, flight training, fuel, and air charter.

"We've been successful and were looking for expansion opportunities.
We've had a long-standing relationship with Chico," said Vic Clarke,
Redding Aero's vice president. Jack Kilpatrick is the president.

"It was a natural fit."

For the past five years, Redding Aero has maintained a nightly cargo
service from Chico to Oakland. The pilot, Chris Keefe, will oversee the
Chico operation, Clarke said.

Additionally, several employees are taking classes and pursuing degrees
at Chico State University. They may be worked into the picture.

Redding Aero has retained 17 of 20 Chico employees. Clarke said three
chose not to continue with the new FBO. The company has 53 employees in
Redding.

"We hope the changeover will be invisible," Clarke said.

Redding Aero started out flying freight for UPS in the late 1970s, and
became the Redding FBO in 1989. It continues to provide the freight
service in Reno and Sacramento.

Clarke said the Chico FBO operation is about 20 percent of what it is in
Redding, which he said is a busier airport. Both SkyWest Airlines and
Horizon Airlines provide daily passenger service there, and privately
owned plane activity is high.

"It has something to do with the retail and recreation opportunities
here. There's a lot of business aircraft coming to town. We're always
getting business executives, or people who are coming to Lake Shasta."

Clarke said he didn't know the full reasons why Pacific Flight Service
owner Paul Richter wanted to sell, but said he knew the local rice
grower was extremely busy with his agricultural commitments.

Clarke doesn't believe it had anything to do with the Sept. 11 attacks,
after which business at most U.S. airports plummeted, or an incident
several years ago involving tainted aviation fuel. He noted that Pacific
Flight Service had been "fully exonerated" of responsibility for that
through a court decision.

As far as changes, Clarke said there are many that Redding Aero wants to
make.

"We want to escalate the level of service."

Probably the most significant change was immediately lowering the price
of fuel by 39 cents - to $2.40 a gallon - for locally based aircraft.

He said the Chico fuel was "typically priced," but that Redding Aero's
philosophy is to be good to local customers.

Some of the aircraft owners were flying to Red Bluff to purchase cheaper
gas, he said. "Now, they don't have to."

Those who are just "flying through" and are not based in Chico will pay
the previous rate.

Clarke said the company plans to base a twin engine charter plane in
Chico, instead of a single engine aircraft. Twin engine planes can
better handle flights in inclement weather, he said.

"There hasn't been twin-engine service through the FBO for several
years."

He said Air Carriage does provide twin engine service for Chico.

On the flight school side, the company is going to refurbish the
aircraft, and that twin-engine training also will be available. Chico's
flight training service is "pretty active," Clarke said.

An ice machine and Internet connection are also on the list, as well as
some general sprucing of the FBO facility, which he said was relatively
run-down. Creation of a radio repair shop is also being considered.
Redding Aero offers upholstery services in Redding.

The company has completed the paperwork related to the city lease of the
facility, and Clarke expects escrow to close near the end of October.

"I'm pleased that the sale between Pacific Flight Service and an
experienced FBO has been formalized. I'm looking forward to working with
Redding Aero, as well as to continue to increase growth and
opportunities at the airport," said Airport Manager Bob Grierson.


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