Will Lease 12,000 Square Feet Of Hangar And Offices At The Airport

First Flight, a fully licensed air ambulance company that provides around-the-clock medical air transport for emergency and nonemergency patients from rural area hospitals, has selected McKinney National Airport (KTKI) as its new headquarters. First Flight will lease a 12,000 square-foot hangar and offices at the airport. The space will serve as the base for supporting operations in East Texas. First Flight will be headquartered at the new facility as well as operate an aircraft maintenance operation for its aircraft and other aircraft.

"This facility will allow us to continue to grow our business of supporting hospitals in smaller communities with state-of-the art aircraft to transport patients to larger medical facilities for specialized care," said Denny O'Hara, President of First Flight.

First Flight's eight-aircraft include specially equipped Cessna 421s and King Airs. These pressurized planes are quiet, fast and provide room for advanced technology to provide an exceptional level of care. Each plane is equipped with highly trained flight paramedics and nurses that have earned critical care certification. First Flight will add 36 employees within three years.

"We know First Flight will have a positive impact on the community and the airport," said McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller. "McKinney National Airport is an ideal place for First Flight to continue to grow their business with access to all the resources of a major urban area without the congestion we see around other local airports."

"We are impressed with the facilities and staff at the airport," said O'Hara. "The city's investment in improvement and the presence of an FAA control tower as well as the professional staff fit our goals of providing the very best level of service, safety and comfort to the patients we serve." 

McKinney National Airport is on the extreme edge of DFW Class-B airspace, simplifying and shortening aircraft arrival and departure times.  While emergency medical flights receive priority clearance, other flights coming into McKinney National Airport avoid having to be sequenced along with more than 3,800 daily aircraft operations to and from larger commercial airports and other general aviation airports that are deep within the tightly controlled Class-B space. 

"In aviation time, whether it is on the ground taxiing, waiting for clearance to land or take off or circling the airport in a holding pattern is real money," said Ken Wiegand, Executive Director of McKinney National Airport. "Operations at McKinney National Airport do not have to deal with that issue."

FMI: www.flytki.com