Officials at Wilmington International Airport invited the outgoing operator of one of its general aviation services and pilots who use those services to a meeting Tuesday evening to clarify what is happening  as those services change hands.

General aviation refers to all non-commercial aviation and can include military, private pilot, corporate and charter services.

Aero Services, a longtime fixed base operator (FBO) at ILM’s south ramp general aviation facility – not to be confused with Air Wilmington at the north ramp – was not meeting all nine standards for FBO operation at the airport, airport director John Rosborough said Wednesday. For that reason, he said, when Aero Services’ 20-year lease expired in 2010, it was placed on a month-to-month lease.  

The nine standards include things such as having a full-time mechanic on site, providing hangar space and a terminal, selling fuel and having rental aircraft available for pilot training.

“Some of those things they were not meeting,” Rosborough said. “One was hours of operation: FBOs are required to be open the same hours as our tower is open, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.”

Airport officials decided to look for another FBO, Rosborough said. An initial query brought responses from 21 FBOs, but ILM’s subsequent formal request for proposal (RFP) yielded only two proposals by the March 11 deadline. Only one, from Brixtel Group subsidiary AviatMall, met the requirements, he said.

“They are acceptable, approved, reputable and have hired staff,” Rosborough said.

A five-year lease has been signed with AviatMall, which will begin operations at the south ramp site in June, replacing Aero Services, Rosborough said, adding that all facilities at the south ramp site became property of the airport.

“We’ve gone over there and made some improvements that will carry it through five years,” he said. “New roofs, painting, new gates.”

Meanwhile, in accordance with its general aviation master plan, ILM is developing another site for general aviation services near Air Wilmington on the north ramp.  

When the site is ready, ILM will issue an RFP for facilities construction, Rosborough said, and will issue a further RFP for an FBO to run the facility on a long-term lease.

Once the new north ramp facility is operating, the current south ramp site will be redeveloped for another aviation-related use, Rosborough said.

The change of FBOs has generated some misinformation among Aero Services’ customers, Rosborough said. Tuesday’s meeting was designed to provide accurate information and give the pilots a chance to ask questions, he said.

“Some of them thought they would have to move their planes, but they will not have to,” Rosborough said. “There will be full-time people here and will provide all services required under the minimum standards. The new operator will be able to provide improved services to the general aviation public. Fees have not been determined, so we are not able to answer questions about those at this point. 

“I think, at the meeting, we cleared the air for a lot of that [information]. Is everyone happy? No, but at least they know why we did what we did,” he said.