A division of Corporate Wings, Inc., our own Fixed Base Operator, known as Flight Options, Inc. is the second largest company of this type in the country, and is the fastest growing of them all. This means a lot to both the community and to the airport. Corporate Wings also provides service to our airlines and to the privately owned aircraft in the area, and they do an outstanding job of it. They both base aircraft here in South Bend, and those are the largest planes that use the field on a regular basis. Airborne Express and DHL operate at the airport.
Air cargo is probably the fastest growing segment of the aviation industry.
We are poised to participate in this rapid growth for the good of both the airport and the economic life and health of our community. But to participate means that we have to expand our facilities. In order to accommodate the larger cargo aircraft, and even some of the smaller passenger aircraft on those hot summer days with no breeze at all we need to have plenty of runway length available in order for the heavy planes to take off with maximum passenger, cargo and fuel loads. We are in the process of extending the main runway some 1,300 feet to the east. That second extension project, which will not start until the main runway is completed, will require the relocation of Lincolnway West in order to clear all of the safety surfaces off the south end of the runway that are mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration.