McKinney National Airport To Expand Once Wright Amendment Expires
MCKINNEY (CBSDFW.COM) - McKinney National Airport officials expect expansion at their facility to take off when the Wright Amendment expires at Dallas Love Field this fall.
Executive Director at McKinney National Airport, Ken Wiegand, has been courting new business, including general, corporate and private aviation.
A billboard reading "The Time Is 'Wright'" was posted along the Dallas North Tollway, as part of the campaign touting McKinney National as a perfect alternative to Dallas Love Field.
A spokesperson for Dallas Love Field expects the airport to get busier once the Wright Amendment is lifted.
"Are they going to wait in long lines to depart the aircraft, sitting there burning fuel?" Wiegand asked. "Or do they want to come to an airport where they have no delays? We are on the edge of Class B airspace for easy in and out of the Dallas/Fort Worth airspace."
Last week, Monarch Air, which was based in Addison, chose McKinney National as the place to expand its services, which include aircraft maintenance, flight training and charter services.
Wiegand said there are more clients waiting in the wings. McKinney National struck a deal with First Flight, which offers fixed wing air ambulances, today.
"We are growing on the Eastside of Texas," said Denny O'Hara, CEO of First Flight. "We think there is a better availability of qualified pilots and maintenance here, which we need."
Plans for a new terminal are in place but with the addition of First Flight, the airports hangar's are currently full.
Weigand said there is plenty of green space to build hangars and offices for future clients.
"When we get these potential clients, we are going to be in a position where we will help them build or we're going to build for them," he said.
The airport is also trying to lure the latest Collin County transplant: Toyota.
Wiegand said as the airport grows, so do opportunities for economic development not only for them, but for Collin County as a whole.
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