New Baltimore/Washington Metro FBO Location Ready For Business

Skytech, Inc., has opened a new state-of-the-art, Baltimore-Washington metro area facility to serve a rapidly expanding customer base. At the heart of Skytech's expansion is 'a strong commitment to customer service and a firm belief that providing customers with the very best in sales support and service means continued business success, even in the worst of economic times.'

(L-R) John K. Foster - President of Skytech Inc.
Michael J. Fitzgerald - Executive Vice President
Frank Stephenson - Skytech's Founder and Chairman
Tann Chesley - Vice President

"At Skytech, we have relied on building strong and lasting customer relations," said John K. Foster, President of Skytech Inc. "The conventional wisdom in difficult economic times is to hold back, make cuts and generally contain costs. While all of that makes sense on one level, it doesn't hold water if it means cutting back on customer support and service. At Skytech, we are conservative, except when it comes to our customers, and that's the thinking behind our new facility here."

Skytech has represented Piper aircraft since 1980, amassing almost 300 total PA46 deliveries along the way. The Cessna Caravan has been a mainstay in Skytech's offerings since 1990, and they have garnered both domestic and world-wide sales leader recognition. A dealer of the Pilatus PC-12 from the programs' inception, Skytech has played an integral part of the perennially top-rated Pilatus service network and is a trusted name in PC-12 sales.

"The best news for our customers," Foster said, "is that they no longer have to deal directly with Baltimore-Washington airspace when they do business with Skytech, because we're outside of it while still maintaining quick and easy ground access to either metropolitan area."

The new 10,000 square-foot Service Facility is technically considered a "highly-renovated" site - given that Skytech kept the original cement floor and existing steel substructure. But aside from that, most everything else is new, including an attached 7,000-square-foot Service building that houses the avionics department, back shops for parts, sheet metal work, battery rooms, aircraft interior storage, service offices and employee locker rooms/lounge. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Sales Department is housed in another 12,500-square-foot, fully renovated 10-year-old hangar that features heated floors and a private ramp.

The FBO, itself, features a newly renovated (again, Skytech kept the original cement and - in this case - the steel roof) and furnished passenger and pilot lounge, weather briefing facility with WSI, Conference Room, and pilot "quiet" room. The FBO includes two storage hangars totaling 20,000 square feet and is capable of housing larger jets from the Cessna/Gulfstream/Bombardier/Dassault product lines.

"In addition to our new facility," says Foster, "we have - despite the economy - also just completed a construction project in our Charlotte-area facility. We've made these two significant expansions because we are looking ahead - with great enthusiasm to 2012-2013."

Among the factors Foster cited as fueling that enthusiasm is the advent of the PiperJet whose mission capable profile is in line with the other single-engine offerings Skytech represents. The PA-46 product line, the Pilatus PC-12 and the Cessna Caravan all offer unique advantages to owners in both economy and capability.

"Conservatives like us love single-engine, turbine powered airplanes," Foster said. "Moreover, economic times like the one we've been going through also speak to conservative airplane owners because it's the best time to buy - when purchase prices and interest rates are at their lowest. We think that's now - the bottom is here - and even if we are mistaken, we're so close to it that a year from now we will have more than made up for any continued devaluation."

Foster also points to another basic fact about single engines. "Being conservative also means that if you have a sincere need for air transportation you will seriously entertain the purchase of a single engine turbine," he said. "It's the lowest common denominator, if you will, among dedicated business airplanes. Low operating costs, outstanding performance (SE airplanes typically have a higher percentage of their gross weight available as useful load), multiple backup systems and under-the-radar financial commitments all come together in a single engine turbine. It's conservative's dream."

Skytech will keep a sales support office at its previous location -- Martin State Airport, on the northeast side of Baltimore. "While Martin Airport has great significance in aviation history," Foster said, "the physical environment at our new location is much more conducive to owner-pilots and corporate operations.

Skytech's new facilities are located at the Carroll County Regional Airport (KDMW). A part of the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, the airport features a 5,100-foot runway with WAAS, VOR, and RNAV approaches.

FMI: www.skytechinc.com