mid-1960s, closing two other local airfields. “We’ve actually had commercial service on and off since the late 1940s.” Today, Advanced Air operates seven weekly flights between Las Cruces and Albuquerque using eightpassenger King Air aircraft. The service, subsidized through New Mexico’s Rural Air Service Development program, is just the beginning of Hume’s vision. “Our goal is to expand further commercial service. That’s one of the things we’ve identified in our master plan update,” he explains. The recently adopted plan, developed over three years with FAA guidance, positions the airport for federal funding opportunities while outlining strategies for growth in aerospace, unmanned aerial systems, and expanded commercial aviation. FBOS, FLIGHT SCHOOLS, AND MEDICAL FLIGHTS Las Cruces International Airport pulses with activity far beyond its scheduled commercial service. General aviation dominates the field, anchored by Frost Aviation, a flight school that has trained pilots for over three decades.“They have students from not just New Mexico, but from Texas, and actually students who come internationally to our flight schools,” Hume notes.“They’re very well known.They’ve been doing flight training for over 30 years.” The airport hosts two fixed-base operators providing essential services. Southwest Aviation has operated on the field for 50 years, while Francis Aviation, established here a decade ago, holds the government fueling contract. Frost Aviation rounds out the fueling options with self-serve pumps that have transformed traffic patterns. “When Frost Aviation put in their self-serve tank, that really changed the dynamic here,” Hume explains. “A lot of folks who never came through here, now that we have the self-serve option, we see a lot of aircraft that we’ve never seen before.” Post-COVID operations reveal a striking shift in aircraft mix. While military traffic has returned to pre-pandemic levels, medical evacuation flights have surged dramatically. “Prior to COVID, we had a medevac company that operated out of here with a couple of helicopters,” Hume says. Air Methods 3 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07 LAS CRUCES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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