The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby drew thousands of spectators to Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday to watch as Mage won the "Run for the Roses," providing a bounty for the area's FBOs.
Atlantic Aviation, which has operated the lone FBO at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport since 2005, was busy between Thursday and Sunday with 704 aircraft arrivals and 259 parked aircraft on Derby day. On Saturday, it set up a hospitality tent for arrivals and brought in food for crewmembers as they watched the race on large-screen TVs.
“Despite the impressive numbers of aircraft, passengers, and crewmembers we handled for the Kentucky Derby, there were zero safety incidents,” said Brian Corbett, the company’s chief commercial and sustainability officer. “Furthermore, our extended Atlantic Aviation family and friends that came from all over the country...shared best practices and strengthened relationships with key customers as they worked as a unified team to ensure safe and efficient passage for everyone who visited Atlantic Aviation.”
At nearby Bowman Field, Mark Geary, president of Louisville Executive Aviation, noted 200 aircraft arrivals around the race. Each day the company would fire up a barbeque grill and dish up hamburgers and hotdogs for guests. It also offered full-time shuttles to take guests to area hotels or the race track.