Story ID: 
FBO competition coming to Chattanooga Airport
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority is embarking on a plan to  build at Lovell Field Airport a new FBO that will be managed by an  independent t
Word Count: 191
The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority is embarking on a plan to  build at Lovell Field Airport a new FBO that will be managed by an  independent third party. Requests for proposal for those interested in  operating the FBO will be posted on October 1. Construction of the new  facility should be completed by mid-2011. Phase 1 will cost about $5  million and is designed to offer pilots a 9,000-sq-ft terminal and  12,000-sq-ft hangar, certified to Leed green building standards.  The Chattanooga Airport Authority decided to build the new FBO to  satisfy pilot complaints that fuel prices are too high due to lack of  competition. “For the entire duration that I have served on or chaired  the Airport Authority, representatives from the airlines, private  aircraft owners and business leaders have asked us over and over again  to provide some options related to fuel, equipment and services,” said  chairman Dan Jacobson. The authority is using state grants and airport  operating funds to pay for the new FBO. Chattanooga is already served by  Tac Air, which in mid-September advertised jet-A at $5.07 per gallon.  The Chattanooga area doesn’t offer pilots many choices of local airports  serving jet-A.