Business View Magazine November-December 2018

130 131 THEWICHITA FALLS REGIONAL AIRPORT Elite Airways - they also fly into Laughlin, for the Caesar and Harrah Hotels. Swift Air flies the Wendover route, which is up in northern Nevada. I average one or two of those flights every month.” About three years ago,Waltjen says that his staff of two full-time and three part-time employees, plus two linemen from Kickapoo, took over the ground handling operations for the casino charter flights after American Airlines, which had previously done the work, decided not to continue with its contract. “Once that happened, a proposal was present- ed to the City Council and the City Manager to purchase all the ground equipment – the tugs, the baggage carts, and other equipment – to support these charter flights, because a lot of people fly on these aircraft all the time, and if we were to shut it down, we would have lost 2,000 to 2,500 enplanements per year. So, we do the ground handling, now, from checking the passengers in at the counter and pro- cessing them.We also provide the baggage handling and, if it’s requested, we’ll clean the aircraft.” Wichita Falls Regional also has four box han- gars for corporate aircraft and several T-hangars for smaller GA planes. Finally, the Airport serves as a diversion airport for over a dozen airlines. “If there’s bad weather and they can’t get into Dallas/Ft.Worth, they’ll come here,”Waltjen ex- plains. “We’ll fuel them, and they’ll stand by, and then, once they get clearance, they’ll go on to DFW. I average about 15-30 of those diversions every year.” In 2014, the Airport built a brand new terminal, replacing the original structure, which was con- structed in 1959. “It was a $32 million project,” says Waltjen. “We went from a 19,000-sq.-ft. ter- minal to a 65,000-sq.-ft. terminal.” The new facili- ty includes two passenger gates and a passenger area equipped for military personnel and their families. It also has new jet bridges that help Land your business in Wichita Falls! One of the best cities for: •Cost of Living •Tech Workers •Working Parents •Cost of Business Wichita Falls IS Aerospace. With twice the national average of our workforce engaged in aerospace-related work, the expertise at Sheppard Air Force Base and our location right in the middle of a huge aerospace market, we’re the right location for your project. Home to: SheppardAirForceBase TRANSLAND landinwichitafalls.com • 940.723.2741 Land in Wichita Falls today!