FBO chain Avflight has broken ground on a new facility at Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport (KDET) in Detroit, where it is the lone aviation services provider.
Since 2011, the FBO has occupied approximately 3,500 sq ft of space in the two-story former commercial aviation terminal that was built in the 1950s. But plans call for the existing 10,000-sq-ft building to be renovated and converted into an aviation high school.
Expected to open by year-end, Avflight’s $5 million-plus development will include a 5,000-sq-ft terminal along with a 20,000-sq-ft heated hangar able to accommodate the latest ultra-long-range business jets. This will be in addition to the facility’s existing 24,000 sq ft of vintage hangar space that can shelter up to a midsize jet. The complex will also feature an attached 1,400-sq-ft parking garage.
“With its proximity to the city’s business district and automotive industry, the new general aviation terminal will serve as a gateway to commerce, tourism, and opportunity,” said Joe Meszaros, the Avfuel sister company’s v-p of operations, adding that it represents renewed momentum for the airport. “With Avflight’s partnership and the city’s ongoing investments, KDET is poised to become a world-class gateway that drives economic vitality and provides broad opportunities for our community.”