minnesota - Midwest Flyer
minnesota - Midwest Flyer
minnesota - Midwest Flyer
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Sun Country’s Parent Company Eyeing Duluth Airbus Facility<br />
Sun Country’s Parent Company Eyeing Duluth Airbus Facility<br />
DULUTH, MINN. – The parent company<br />
of Sun Country Airlines, Petters<br />
Aviation of Minnetonka, Minn., is trying<br />
to attract other aviation businesses<br />
to move into the now-empty<br />
Northwest Airlines maintenance facility<br />
located on Duluth International<br />
Airport. Northwest had used the facility<br />
for Airbus maintenance until it<br />
abandoned the facility in 2005.<br />
Petters Aviation has interest from<br />
Lufthansa Technik of Germany and<br />
Jet Aviation of Switzerland, which are<br />
MINNESOTA<br />
AVIATION TRADES ASSOCIATION<br />
“Working For Minnesota Aviation”<br />
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For more information<br />
refer to the MATA website at<br />
www.mnataonline.net<br />
or contact Mike Higgins<br />
at mike@exclusiveaviation.com<br />
651-450-6200<br />
34 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007<br />
considering the facility for one of its<br />
corporate jet completion centers.<br />
Among the corporate jets that<br />
would be completed in Duluth if a<br />
deal is made is the Airbus A318. The<br />
jet is large enough to accommodate<br />
more than 100 passengers in airline<br />
configuration, but corporate customers<br />
typically configure the cabin<br />
for fewer passengers to provide more<br />
comfortable seating and that work<br />
would be done at the Duluth facility.<br />
An A318 sells for roughly $45 million,<br />
and customers typically invest<br />
another $10-12 million on the interior.<br />
Apparently, there is a worldwide<br />
shortage of large corporate jet completion<br />
centers, which makes the<br />
Duluth facility more interesting.<br />
As a result of a settlement that<br />
stemmed from Northwest’s recent<br />
bankruptcy reorganization, the Duluth<br />
Economic Development Authority<br />
(DEDA) assumed sole ownership of<br />
the Duluth facility in July. Petters<br />
now have 180 days to put together an<br />
offer to lease the facility for other<br />
businesses. During that time, DEDA<br />
is negotiating exclusively with<br />
Petters, and the company is making<br />
$15,000 monthly payments to cover<br />
the cost of maintaining the 189,000<br />
square foot facility.<br />
Duluth International Airport<br />
Director, Brian Ryks, said that he is<br />
optimistic that an arrangement will be<br />
worked out with the Petters Group to<br />
bring aircraft activity and associated<br />
jobs back to the facility. “This will be<br />
a win, win for the airport and the<br />
community through the economic<br />
impact and spin-off that additional<br />
jobs will bring to the area,” say Ryks.<br />
Cirrus Design is also headquartered at<br />
Duluth International Airport. ❑<br />
Non-Aviation Development Being<br />
Considered At MAC Reliever Airports<br />
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – During<br />
the August 20, 2007, meeting of the<br />
Metropolitan Airports Commission<br />
(MAC), Eric Johnson, MAC Director<br />
of Commercial Management, made a<br />
brief presentation regarding non-aviation<br />
development on reliever airports.<br />
The Twin Cities metropolitan area has<br />
six reliever airports, providing relief<br />
for air traffic at Minneapolis/St. Paul<br />
International Airport. MAC staff is<br />
primarily working on developing<br />
Anoka County-Blaine Airport (ANE),<br />
while also studying Crystal Airport.<br />
Johnson reported that at ANE,<br />
environmental testing reports are<br />
being finalized. These were to be submitted<br />
to the FAA at the end of<br />
August as part of the MAC request<br />
for land release.<br />
An FAA land release allows MAC<br />
Businesses Interested In Becoming A Cosponsor of “Minnesota Aviation Industry News”<br />
Call 608-835-7063 or Email dave@midwestflyer.com<br />
Minnesota Aviation Industry News is sponsored by<br />
★ Academy College of Aviation<br />
Minneapolis, Minnesota<br />
★ B2W/Win Air<br />
Winona, Minnesota<br />
★ Bolduc Aviation<br />
Blaine, Minnesota<br />
★ <strong>Midwest</strong> <strong>Flyer</strong> Magazine<br />
Oregon, Wisconsin<br />
★ Regent Aviation, Inc.<br />
St. Paul, Minnesota<br />
★ Reigel & Associates, Ltd.<br />
Aero Legal Services<br />
Hopkins, Minnesota<br />
★Thunderbird Aviation<br />
Flying Cloud (FCM) Eden Prairie,<br />
& Mpls. Crystal (MIC), Minn.<br />
★ Wright Aero, Inc.<br />
Maple Lake, Minnesota<br />
★ Minn. Aviation Trades Ass’n<br />
Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
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