Amarillo, Texas, might be one of the most iconic places to visit along the 2,500-mile Route 66, with its historic museums, famous restaurants and western ranches. But the Texas Panhandle city also has a storied aviation history that dates back to 1918, when two Army Signal Corps planes landed in a remote pasture - just minutes from where one of the state’s most beloved airports would rise up: Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (KAMA).
Known as the gateway to Amarillo, KAMA boasts the eighth largest public runway in the U.S., neighbors the iconic Texas Air & Space Museum and remains an economic boon for the city. And, it’s finishing its state of the art general aviation terminal upgrade, thanks to an investment from TAC Air – AMA, the airport’s FBO provider since 1993 and a proud Phillips 66® Aviation Fuel partner for 28 years.
One of 16 TAC Air FBO locations across the nation, TAC Air – AMA already offers general aviators award-winning ground services, complete crew facilities and a trusted fuel partner in Phillips 66 Aviation. But this year marks a milestone as TAC Air – AMA completes an executive terminal rebuild and expansion, including refurbishing the adjacent English Field restaurant and refreshing the entire TAC Air – AMA campus including hangars and adjoining offices.
“We’re excited to see this project come to fruition,” TAC Air Chief Operating Officer Joe Gibney said. “The new facilities are just an extension of our dedication to exceeding our customers’ expectations each and every day. The passion for the business has always been an integral part of our day-to-day FBO services and continues to be a part of our core philosophy.”
The project is reaching completion this summer, expanding the current TAC Air – AMA 4,500-square-foot terminal and ground services facility into an 8,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art executive terminal and business center. The facilities feature an expanded lobby and refreshment zone, a private conference room, pilots’ lounge with private sleep rooms and workspaces, and a military situation conference room including specially designed tactical equipment storage. In addition, the project adds a secure office and ground-service management space to include an employee conference room, offices and a severe-weather shelter.
“These new facilities serve as the gateway for general and military aviation into the city of Amarillo,” TAC Air – AMA General Manager Jeremy Van Dyke said. “And we’re excited to implement panhandle weather friendly landscaping throughout the property. Meaning, we are adding local plants and landscape, all designed to meet the extreme Texas weather conditions and reduce irrigation—because we want this project to not only help provide economic fuel for Amarillo, but also protect our city’s natural resources and keep it beautiful.”
To date, the hangars with adjoining office space have been refreshed and painted along with the English Field restaurant that sits beside the TAC Air executive terminal. The English Field restaurant also welcomes a new chef and owner, who has created a brand-new menu just for this specific location, inspired from a list of favorite dishes found on the menus of their other local family-owned restaurant locations.
“Anyone who’s flown out of Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport and has used our facilities knows the customer service and experience at TAC Air – AMA are second to none,” Van Dyke said. “This project is just the latest example of our continued focus on steady growth and keeping a passion for customer service.”
To learn more about TAC Air, visit www.tacair.com.
To learn more about Phillips 66 branded FBO programs, visit phillips66aviation.com.