Oklahoma City Company Headed For Cape Girardeau

Commander Premier Aircraft has apparently found a new home, after losing its lease at Oklahoma City's Wiley Post Airport. The company, which just emerged from bankruptcy in June, will soon land at Cape Girardeau, MO.

As Aero-News reported last month, the company's new owners, who bought the firm out of bankruptcy, didn't obtain the right to remain in the old owners' facility at Wiley Post. Although CPAC President and CEO Joel Hartstone had hoped to remain in the Oklahoma City area, he was unable to secure an adequate facility.

But under a deal finalized at Cape Girardeau City Hall on Thursday, CPAC will lease a 52,000 sq. ft. hangar at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. The first six months will be rent-free, according to city officials. Thereafter, the city will charge CPAC $11,000 a month, escalating to $21,000 by 2009.

The hangar was formerly the home of Renaissance Aviation.

Hartstone told local reporters he hopes to build 15 aircraft at the Cape Girardeau facility in 2006 and 30 planes a year after that.

"The runways are excellent," Hartstone told the Southeast Missourian. "The airport is well-maintained."

CPAC was formed by a group of 50 Aero Commander owners who bought the company in bankruptcy proceedings. No new Aero-Commanders have been built since the original company filed for Chapter 7 in 2002.

FMI: www.commanderair.com