Ronaldsway Airport on the Isle of Man is getting an upgraded FBO through a substantial investment by charter flight group Megacorp Aviation. On Monday, the company announced plans to expand and modernize the airport’s Private Jet Centre FBO and establish an adjoining aviation technology park.
The Isle of Man, located between the UK and Ireland, operates an offshore registry popular with private aircraft owners. The Private Jet Centre opened in 2015 and will now be updated, in part to make operations there more environmentally sustainable.
Under the plan, the available hangar space will double to 40,000 sq ft, and the new FBO terminal will include additional office space and an improved business center for customers alongside a 10-room hotel for passengers and crew.
Meanwhile, the Private Jet Centre will give customers access to its proprietary carbon calculator for offsetting emissions from flights and will also be able to upload sustainable aviation fuel. The company, which is creating 20 new positions, said its employees will wear uniforms made from recycled materials.
Megacorp Aviation, which has bases in the Isle of Man, London Biggin Hill Airport, Dubai, and Mumbai in India, is placing some of its employees at the Private Jet Centre. The company operates aircraft for charter under the Opul Jets brand, with a fleet including a Bombardier Global Express XRS, Learjet 40, and Learjet 55.
Ronaldsway Airport draws traffic bringing high-net-worth individuals, as well as visiting movie crews filming on the island. It is located 6 miles from the island's capital, Douglas.
“The Isle of Man has long been underserved for private aviation,” said Megacorp Aviation CEO Harry Ackerman. “We are confident that the investment we are making into the Private Jet Centre and other aviation facilities at the airport will stimulate further economic growth for the island and attract more traffic, as well as supporting aircraft coming to the highly popular Isle of Man aircraft registry.”