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New private jet hangar coming to Syracuse airport

mrsmecomber
/
via Flickr

A group of private jet owners will build and operate its own hangar at Syracuse's Hancock Airport.

The facility will run much like a country club and compete with the only other private jet service provider on the grounds.

The Syracuse Common Council on Monday voted to lease about five acres to Syracuse Jet Real Estate Management. The group will spend $6 million to build a hangar for 10-15 planes, according to member Mike Wetzer.

Wetzer told the council before the vote that his only current option, Landmark Aviation, was inadequate.

"When you’ve got a situation where there’s a monopoly, as a user, you have no choice. You either play by the rules or not, you leave," he says.

He and others chose to leave. The new facility will be funded by jet owners, who will have to become members in order to store their aircraft. It will not be open to visiting planes, Wetzer said.

"I and other owners feel that we can do better on our own and keep the money that we spend in the community," he added. "And it amounts to quite a bit of money. We’re talking substantial rentals for hangars, for fuel."

A representative from Landmark Aviation told the council Syracuse Jet Real Estate is ill-prepared to build and operate its owner hangar. But the measure passed the council unanimously.