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.