City Council approves name change after city acquires airport.
MCKINNEY, TEXAS – The McKinney City Council has approved changing the name of Collin County Regional Airport to McKinney National Airport. The decision follows the city’s purchase of airport assets and the start of city operations as the airport’s Fixed Base Operator (FBO), McKinney Air Center.
“The new name reflects the status of McKinney National Airport as one of the premier general aviation airports in the country,” said McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller. “Fewer than three percent of the nation’s 2,953 general aviation airports are considered national airports under criteria established by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).”
According to the FAA categorization program, a national airport includes very high levels of activity with many jets and multi-engine prop planes using the airport and approximately 200 totally based aircraft including 30 jets.
“This is a designation the airport has already earned,” said City Manager Jason Gray. “Our ultimate goal is to create one of the finest airports in the country that will be a favored destination for aircraft coming to North Texas and for companies and individuals looking to base aircraft in the region.”
The airport FBO, McKinney Air Center, offers a wide variety of services including 24-hour fuel and ramp services, catering, courtesy and crew cars, flight planning and weather facilities, on-site auto rental, private crew lounge, sleep room and showers, and U.S. Customs on-site. A contract FAA Control Tower and a fire station equipped with specialized crash rescue equipment and specially trained aircraft fire and rescue firefighters provide additional safety for airport users.
“Fuel sales are a major revenue source at the airport,” said Ken Wiegand, McKinney National Airport Director. “By providing that and ancillary services, the city will generate revenue to fund improvements to the airport to lure additional corporate aircraft and business to our city.”
“McKinney National Airport is a major attraction when recruiting corporations to McKinney. The new name better describes the significant role our airport plays in America’s aviation industry and the major economic driver the airport is and will be for our area,” said Jim Wehmeier, President and CEO of the McKinney Economic Development Corporation. “McKinney has a national airport with huge growth potential inducing available corporate hangars and pad sites ready to go for relocating corporate aviation departments. Add to this our proximity to D/FW International Airport and these make McKinney an ideal location for companies that use a mix of corporate and commercial flights.”
The airport has come a long way since its modest beginnings 34 years ago as McKinney Municipal Airport. Since then, the airport has added a 7,000 foot commercial-grade runway, a state-of-the-art air traffic control tower and even U.S. Customs services for international flights.
Today, the McKinney airport is a major corporate magnet, attracting companies like Texas Instruments, Electronic Data Systems (now HP) and Torchmark.
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