Cutter celebrates 80 years in aviation business

Pres Bill Cutter (L) sits on a custom-built Honda VTX 1300C-based motorcycle which commemorates the company’s 80th year in business as Chairman Will Cutter looks on. A Mar 11 event at the company’s new hangar at PHX helped serve as a platform to look toward the next 80 years.

Around 75 people attended a Mar 11 event commemorating the 80th anniversary of Cutter Aviation, the PHX (Sky Harbor, Phoenix AZ)-based FBO and aircraft services provider. At the start of the celebration, visitors heard a loud roar echoing through Cutter’s new hangar at the south end of PHX—the sound of a custom Honda VTX 1300C motorcycle driven by artist/builder Al Bierman.

Dubbed “The Aviator,” the motorcycle is a tribute to Cutter’s heritage and portrays significant elements of its history. The significance of the Honda-built cycle was not incidental. Although known as a Hawker Beechcraft, Piper and Socata facility, Cutter recently signed on as a US sales and service dealer for the HondaJet, due out in 2010.

Started in 1928 in Albuquerque NM, Cutter has managed to sustain and grow its operations—through the Great Depression and 2 world wars—into what is among the oldest family-owned, continuously operated aviation businesses in the US.

From its beginnings as a single-location aircraft service company, Cutter is now an aviation enterprise, offering a full range of services including fuel, new and pre-owned aircraft sales, maintenance, charter, aircraft management and travel services at 8 locations throughout the southwestern US.

“We’re the oldest Phillips dealer, the oldest Beechcraft dealer and the oldest tenant at both PHX and ABQ (Sunport, Albuquerque NM),” says Pres Will Cutter, grandson of founder William P Cutter. “But, as we head into our next 80 years, and with Hawker Beechcraft going factory-direct, we’ll still be growing and going. HondaJet is the future.”

Chairman Bill Cutter, son of the founder, has his eyes set squarely on the 21st century—the company’s future could include looking at additional noncompeting corporate or light jet opportunities like the HondaJet program just inked.

“Eighty years is fine, but it’s all about the future,” he says. “My dad used to say, ‘Do the right thing and do things right. Which comes first doesn’t matter.’ Considering we started out here in a 50-by-50 [ft] wooden hangar, I’d say it’s a good indication that we’re doing something right.” —Jim Veihdeffer

Avfuel has added Winnemucca Air Service to its network of dealers. Based at WMC (Winnemucca NV), the FBO is also part of Avfuel’s contract fuel and Avtrip points programs. Winnemucca offers pilot and passenger lounges, courtesy and rental cars, weather briefing area and wireless Internet throughout the facility. The FBO recently expanded its maintenance facility and WMC features a resurfaced 7000-ft runway with improved lighting.

Hawker Beechcraft Corp (HBC) has agreed to sell 7 US-based fuel and line service locations to BBA Aviation. Under the $128.5-million deal, BBA will acquire HBC fuel and line operations at FTY (Fulton County, Atlanta GA), HOU (Hobby, Houston TX), ICT (Mid-Continent, Wichita KS), IND (Intl, Indianapolis IN), SAT (Intl, San Antonio TX), TPA (Intl, Tampa FL) and VNY (Van Nuys CA). HBC will retain its maintenance and customer support facilities at those 7 locations. Not included in the agreement are Hawker Beechcraft sites at CEG (Chester, England), LIT (Little Rock AR) and TLC (Toluca, Mexico). Pending regulatory and third-party approvals, the transaction is scheduled to close in May 2008.

Grand Rapids Air Center, a complex featuring an FBO and space for corporate flight departments, has opened at GRR (Grand Rapids MI). Renovations are also complete at Rapid Air, the FBO which is the center’s main tenant. An Air BP dealer, Rapid Air features a passenger lounge with coffee bar, executive and pilot lounges, conference and theater rooms, sleeping quarters and showers. Rapid Air offers aircraft charter, maintenance, parts, hangar space, parking and concierge services.

General Aviation (Mauritius) is putting the finishing touches on an FBO and VIP terminal for private jets at MRU (Plaisance, Mauritius). At a total of 2400 square meters (25,830 sq ft), the 2-story facility will feature 13,670 sq ft of office and commercial space for tenants, a lobby, high-speed Internet access and a closed circuit security system. Tenant space is scheduled for availability beginning in Apr 2008. A second phase calls for development of hangars at MRU.

Duncan Aviation BTL (Battle Creek MI) and Midcoast Aviation CPS (Downtown, St Louis IL) are the latest additions to the Bombardier Challenger 300 authorized service facility (ASF) network. Midcoast has provided service and maintenance on the Challenger 600 series and Global business jets since 1980. Duncan BTL is already an ASF for the Challenger 604.

Wilson Air Center has partnered with Tunica Air Group to provide maintenance services from MEM (Intl, Memphis TN). Tunica will provide on-call and line maintenance support, including routine items such as oxygen and tire services, up through engine changes, as well as scheduled maintenance. Tunica began offering services at a 16,000 sq ft hangar within the Wilson FBO complex at MEM on Feb 11.

Epps Aviation PDK (Dekalb–Peachtree, Atlanta GA) has received EASA certification to conduct maintenance on all EU-registered aircraft. Epps’ links with Europe cover various business aircraft, including as a Pilatus PC12 distributor for the southeast US and the Caribbean.

Standard Aero, Landmark MROs paired

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has completed the sale of 33 Landmark Aviation FBOs to Encore and investment firms GTCR Golder Rauner and Platform Partners. With the acquisition, Encore locations will join Landmark, and the combined entity will operate a network of 41 locations in the US, Canada and Europe under the Landmark brand. The deal includes Landmark’s aircraft charter, sales and parts business, as well as local MRO facilities at some of the FBOs. “I look forward to integrating the 2 companies as one strong aviation service entity,” says Landmark Pres & CEO Dan Bucaro.

DAE has also nearly concluded an 8-month process to integrate Standard Aero with former Landmark MRO facilities—purchased in Jul 2007—into a single MRO organization. According to Standard Aero Pres Paul Soubry, the combined companies are operating as a single “MRO-focused” entity with a new corporate mission and values under the Standard Aero banner. The company’s business jet service network comprises 4 major locations—AGS (Augusta GA), IAH (Intercontinental, Houston TX), LAX (Intl, Los Angeles CA) and SPI (Springfield IL)—and 14 mobile service teams in the US and Canada, as well as more than 50 sales and field service sites. Operating segments consist of 5 areas—business aviation, airlines and fleets, military/government, services (including component repair/overhaul and helicopters) and VIP interiors. Associated Air Center, which was not included in the sale to Encore/ GTCR/Platform, provides a range of interior completions and refurbishment capabilities from DAL (Love, Dallas TX). DAE will invest $5 million in capital improvements at Associated Air Center.

Soubry notes that with the 2005 transition from Garrett Aviation/ Piedmont Hawthorne/Associated to Landmark, more focus was put on rebranding under a single banner and not as much in facility upgrades. But DAE is making up for that with plans to invest in improvements at the 4 major facilities, as well as infrastructure upgrades around its network, he says. Company leaders planned to brief employees about the new Standard Aero banner and changes within the 4000-person organization starting on Mar 22. More than 200 employees are involved with an integration team that worked to combine the organizations—a process that is largely complete. —Andrew Parker