Story ID: 
Airport To Take Over Alabama FBO
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: Alabama’s Pryor Field Regional Airport will assume control and operation of its lone FBO, after the long time operator calls it quits.
Word Count: 240
Alabama’s Pryor Field Regional Airport will assume control and operation of its lone FBO after North Alabama Aviation’s owner and former airport manager, Stan Smith, gave the airport 30 days notice that he plans to close the FBO he has run for a decade. Reasons for the closure include current economic conditions and the slowdown in corporate traffic. While exiting the FBO business, Smith will continue to operate a maintenance shop at the airport.

According to airport manager Adam Foutz, the authority will not put the FBO out for bid and plans to retain its staff. The facility features a modern 7,500-sq-ft terminal with a pilot’s lounge, two snooze rooms, shower facilities, crew car, on-site car rental, and a 30-seat conference room/classroom.

Pryor Field, which offers a 6,100-foot runway, is the second-largest general aviation airport in the state, and the airport will take over the FBO duties on October 17. As part of that change, the location will switch to Shell distributor Titan Aviation Fuels in November.

“In addition to our FBO services, Pryor Field Airport Authority is committed to investing in Pryor Field Regional Airport,” said Foutz. “We are in the early stages of building additional private hangars and acquiring adjacent land for additional corporate and private hangars. We have ground lease sites available for tenants needing larger commercial operation structures.”