Fuel Berm Damaged, FBO Owner Says It Was Intentional

Police in Opa-locka, Florida are investigating an incident in which the fuel berm belonging to Opa-Locka Flightline, an FBO at Opa-locka Executive Airport, was intentionally damaged by representatives from the leasing company which manages the airport.

The South Florida Times reports that Opa-Locka Flightline has been operating on a 5-year lease, and has been trying to secure a long-term lease at the airport as well as additional room for expansion. The FBO's co-owner, Anthony Robinson, told the paper he returned to his business late on Friday, August 28th to find representatives from AA Acquisitions, the airport management company, pulling up his fuel berm. The containment is required for the FBO to be able to sell fuel. When he said he would have to call police, the AA Acquisition employees left, but the $10,000 berm was damaged beyond repair, he said.

Robinson told the paper he thinks the county is complicit in the incident. "The county knows we need the berm to sell fuel, so they have someone rip it out and then hit Flightline with enforcement actions if we continue to operate. We're losing thousands a day here," he told the paper.

Robinson said a competing FBO opened the week following the damage to his berm in close proximity to Opa-Locka Flightline. He said several phone calls revealed Orion Jet Center was being staffed by AA Acquisitions employees, including the one that damaged his berm.

When contacted by the paper, the employee said AA Acquisitions was aware of the situation, and that he was cooperating with the police department.

Flightline, which is minority owned, has threatened a billion-dollar lawsuit against the Miami-Dade Aviation Department and AA Acquisitions. They claim breach of contract and racial discrimination, saying AA Acquisitions would not honor the terms of the 30 year lease agreed to before they assumed management control of the airport. Meanwhile, they are unable to receive new shipments of fuel, or transfer fuel to aircraft because of the damaged berm. Robinson says that will put them out of business, which he asserts is the intention of both the management company and the county.

FMI: www.miami-airport.com/html/opalocka.html