Executive Jet Center to Build Five Hangars

Executive Jet Center plans to build five hangars at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport within a year, making it one of the largest facilities of its kind in the Eastern U.S. with a total of 10 hangars.

The FBO, a Phillips 66 Aviation Performance Center, will use the hangars to showcase its inventory of business jets offered for sale by affiliate Aero Toy Store. The company also next month will begin construction of a 40,000-gallon underground tank farm to accommodate growing fuel demands. Executive sells about one million gallons of aviation fuel annually, pumping an average of 5,000 gallons per day during the October-to-April high season. At its busiest-during a large convention, for example-the company has pumped as much as 25,000 gallons a day.

The company's primary focus, however, is on aircraft sales through Aero Toy Store. "If you doubt this, check out our website at www.aero-toy.com. Even the line service here is support for our sales department," said Doug Hathorn, the jet center's FBO manager.

"If pilots are impressed with our around-the-clock service and are brought in by the lowest fuel prices in the Southeastern U.S., they will come back when company executives are looking for new aircraft," Hathorn said. Two of the existing hangars are currently aircraft sales showrooms; two hold Executive Jet Interiors, a refurbishment center; and the fifth is reserved for transient aircraft.

By Arnold Lewis