November 16, 2024
The Orange County Board of Supervisors has awarded Clay Lacy Aviation a 35-year lease at John Wayne Airport (KSNA) to build and operate a Fixed Base Operation (FBO) that will serve as a business gateway for Orange County and contribute to the general aviation ecosystem at the airport.
Prior to the Board of Supervisors’ selection, Clay Lacy was endorsed by the SoCal Pilots Association, the Airport Working Group of Orange County, and Still Protecting Our Newport and received unanimous support from the Orange County Airport Commission.
Clay Lacy Aviation was awarded the 15-acre leasehold to design, build, and operate a full-service FBO featuring over 110,000 square feet of hangar, 42,000 square feet of class-A offices and a private terminal that incorporates the latest in sustainable design and meets Envision Gold certification standards.
The development also includes new facilities for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Air Support Bureau and Orange Coast College Aviation Science Department.
The new Clay Lacy FBO will bring additional services to the airfield while providing 180 high-paying jobs across a variety of career tracks. Opportunities will include openings for pilots, maintenance technicians, finance and accounting professionals, sales and marketing experts, human resources and information technology specialists, and other rewarding positions.
“Over the previous four years, we had many productive meetings and established positive dialogue with the local community and stakeholders,” said Scott Cutshall, SVP Business Operations at Clay Lacy Aviation and an Orange County native.
He added, “As a direct result of these conversations, we incorporated many features into our development that will be appreciated by airport users and the community.”
“Today begins a new chapter for general aviation in Orange County, and we are extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of it,” said Brian Kirkdoffer, President and CEO of Clay Lacy Aviation.
He noted, “As Orange County’s newest Fixed Based Operator, Clay Lacy Aviation will build world-class facilities, provide award-winning FBO services, create good-paying jobs, and always be a good neighbor to the local community. This partnership will benefit the County, its residents, and airport customers for decades to come.”
Additionally, Clay Lacy has responded to the current pandemic via its CleanCheck Standard to eliminate the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases, providing customers and guests with the highest level of confidence at each phase of the flight experience.
Clay Lacy offers an as-available jet card program. It also operates and FBO at Van Nuys Airport serving Los Angeles.
Find the perfect solution for your private aviation needs
Save Time. Buy Confidently.
Receive an apples-to-apples comparison of programs that meet your needs from more than 500 jet card and fractional options covering 65 points of differentiation and over 40,000 data points.
