The history of flight in America cannot be told without mentioning the great state of Kansas, home to the “air capital of the world” and many well-known aviation pioneers of recent past, including Clyde Cessna, Glenn Martin, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, and Walter and Olive Beech – just to name a few. During World War II, the central location of Kansas made the state an attractive option for military aviation outposts, and Liberal Army Airfield in the small town of Liberal, Kansas, was one such base.
The airfield, which served as a B-24 Liberator aircraft pilot training base, was active for only three years during the war and eventually transitioned to Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport (KLBL). The former base has since left its mark on the local area, where brothers Steve and Bill Lyddon still offer flight training to this day at the airport’s only fixed-base operator (FBO), Lyddon Aero Center.
The brothers purchased the FBO in 1990 and have grown it into the leading general aviation FBO in southwest Kansas, providing the highest quality aircraft maintenance, flight training, sales, charter flights and hangarage services—at an airport that services the five-state region of southwest Kansas, the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles, as well as southeast Colorado and northeast New Mexico.
“Our rural location and large runways make us a good stop for cross country traffic,” said Jennifer Lyddon, who co-owns the company alongside her father Steve, his brother Bill and Bill’s son Nathan. “But our success is rooted in our family values. As a family-owned and operated business, we lead with integrity, honesty and a commitment to excellence, which hopefully leads to quality workmanship, premium customer service, and peak satisfaction among our customers and aircraft owners.”
Lyddon Aero Center has been a fixture within the local area since opening more than 30 years ago and remains active in helping the community to this day. In addition to sponsoring recreational ball teams and signature city events, like Pancake Day, the FBO also supports the famous Mid-Air Aviation Museum, the premier aviation museum in Kansas and one of the largest in the United States. In fact, the museum is home to more than 100 aircraft and 80,000 square feet of exhibits. Its collection spans over 90 years of aircraft design and development, and Lyddon Aero Center is a proud sponsor of the historical landmark.
“Aviation has been a big part of our family and our community, which is one of the reasons we continue to support the museum and the community as a whole,” Lyddon said.
As a Philips 66® Aviation branded FBO for more than 30 years, Lyddon Aero Center offers its customers all of the Phillips 66 perks, including Contract Fuel and the WingPoints® Rewards. “It’s simple, our customers like Phillips 66’s easy-to-use program and their prices, and so do we,” Lyddon said.
Lyddon Aero Center is a member of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). To learn more about Lyddon Aero Center, please visit lyddonaero.com
To learn more about Phillips 66 branded FBO programs, including Contract Fuel and WingPoints® Rewards, visit phillips66aviation.com.