Business View Magazine - Sept 2023

278 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 9 As the global leader in aircraft painting, interiors, and graphics along with engineering and technical services the IAC group provides critical services to key players in the aviation ecosystem. IAC’s painting and coatings capabilities combined with Eirtech’s engineering and technical services offerings create a scaled “one-stop shop” provider of critical aviation services from aircraft purchase to owner transitions and end of life. Working with International airlines, private operators, military aircraft and aviation leasing companies across the globe, the IAC group provides tailor made aircraft painting, aircraft interior refurbishment and aircraft graphic solutions that ensure regulatory compliance globally. Our specialty capabilities, global footprint, proprietary processes and systems and supplier relationships create a unique platform that offers customers improved efficiencies and reduced costs. International Aerospace Coatings recently announced receipt of their Part 145 approval from the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) to offer maintenance services as part of the aircraft painting service. IAC’s European HQ is based at Shannon Airport, Co. Clare, Ireland, with their US headquarters located at Irvine, California. Across the group’s 10 locations worldwide, with 7 widebody facilities, we complete 700+ painting events per year and 700+ engineering & technical service projects per year. For more information, visit: iac.aero RICK HUSBAND AMARILLO INT. AIRPORT and general aviation facility that sits on 3,811 acres, just six miles east of town -- have been intertwined for over a century. The first recorded landing of an aircraft in Amarillo occurred on April 27, 1918, when two Army Signal Corps planes landed in a pasture off Polk St., refueled, and took off again. The first aircraft business – the Panhandle Air Service and Transportation Co. -- was founded in 1920 at Bivins Field in southwest Amarillo. The company eventually moved to the north of Amarillo, and in 1928, the field was renamed Bivins-English Field. In 1929, Bivins-English Field relocated again, six miles east of Amarillo on Highway 60, and renamed itself English Field. That year, Transcontinental & Western Air (TWA) began passenger airline service to Amarillo, and by 1931, the city was a stop on coast-to-coast service between Los Angeles and New York. In 1952, the airport changed its name to Amarillo Air Terminal and, after the adjacent Amarillo Air Force Base was deactivated in 1968, a portion of it became part of the Amarillo Air Terminal. The primary instrument runway, built for the USAF Attracting new businesses to AMA is another current agenda item. Its new Land Development Coordinator, David Sougstad’s primary job is to find suitable lessees for about 500 acres of vacant land that the airport has available.