Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company headquartered at Teterboro Airport, is pleased to announce that its new fixed-base operations (FBO) at Hayward Executive Airport in Hayward, California is now open for business.
The facility features the services and amenities that discerning passengers and flight crews should expect to find when traveling through a Meridian FBO, including professionally-trained customer service and line service teams, an elegant main lobby, business center, conference room, pilot briefing area, pilot lounge, coffee bar, kitchen/catering area, sleep room, shower and locker room, rental cars, and crew cars.
EPIC Fuels, a leading fuel supplier in the general and commercial aviation industries, is the branded fuel supplier for Meridian Hayward. The company offers the highest quality jet and avgas, and the EPIC card is proudly accepted at this location.
A great location for business and charter aircraft, Meridian Hayward is located at an airport with no curfew and, like Teterboro, is a General Aviation-specific airport, with no commercial airline traffic. This initial opening features a newly constructed 6,300 square foot terminal with support offices, a 30,000 square foot hanger and 3.5 acres of ramp area.
Ken Forester, CEO, had this to say about the occasion, “We are extremely pleased to be able to announce the opening of our new FBO, Meridian Hayward. We are now pumping fuel and ready to serve our customers in the San Francisco Bay area. The genesis of this project began four years ago, and now it’s moved from a vision to a reality. Hayward is the keystone of our long-term growth strategy, which also includes a new hangar project at Teterboro, and the continued expansion of our charter fleet.”
Additional phases of construction are planned, and will include a second 12,000 square foot terminal, two 40,000 square foot hangers and an additional seven acres of ramp space. The facility will serve as a West Coast base for Meridian Air Charter and Meridian Aircraft Management. Aircraft maintenance support is also available.
While the FBO is now officially operational, Meridian Hayward will be celebrating its Grand Opening on December 15, 2016.
Tag: CA
On Friday, July 8, the Meridian Line Service department threw a surprise goodbye party for Carlos Rodriguez, who was leaving his position in Teterboro as the Training & Safety Coordinator. Carlos is heading West as the Operations Manager for the company’s new FBO being built at Hayward Executive Airport in Hayward, CA. In order to give him a proper send-off, the Line Service department decided to throw him a California-themed celebration that included a Tommy Bahama umbrella, several bottles of sun tan lotion, and a Meridian Hayward t-shirt.
Carlos was recently promoted to Operations Manager after excelling in his role as the company’s Training & Safety Coordinator. As the Operations Manager in Hayward, Carlos will be responsible for overseeing and managing the line and customer service staff, including daily operations, training, performance, employee relation issues, interviewing, scheduling, and attendance. Carlos will be managing a staff of approximately 18 employees.
Mr. Rodriguez began his career at the company in 2002 when it was known as Million Air Teterboro. He will be bringing his 14 years of Operations experience to Hayward. We are all excited and happy to see Carlos take on this new and important role in Hayward, and we wish him and his family well.
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport, was getting the word out last week at the NBAA Regional Forum in Van Nuys about its new facility in Hayward, CA, just 350 miles up the road. It was an important event for Meridian to communicate its future plans for the region because the new FBO and hangar facility at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) is expected to be open for business this fall. For the first time, the company will have FBOs on both coasts. Seven representatives were there to help deliver the message from various business units, including Air Charter, Aircraft Management, Customer Service, Fuel Sales, and Marketing.
The Forum, held on Thursday, June 9, set a new record for number of attendees and indoor exhibitors for the venue, as about 2,000 people came out to hear from industry officials about the latest business aviation news, meet with the 145 exhibitors on a sold-out exhibit floor and have a look at the 21 aircraft and five vehicles on a sold-out static display. Historic Van Nuys Airport (VNY) contributes about $1.3 billion to the local economy, said Jeffery Daar, a commissioner for Los Angeles World Airports, which oversees VNY.
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen took the opportunity to update attendees on the FAA reauthorization debate underway in Congress. The current funding extension for the FAA expires on July 15. In April, the Senate overwhelmingly passed H.R.636, with strong bipartisan support. The bill, Bolen noted, addresses many key issues ranging from streamlining the certification process to security issues, to the use of unmanned aircraft systems. However, Bolen continued, the Senate bill does not include a “dangerous” proposal to privatize the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, fund it with user fees and have it overseen by an airline-centric board of directors – a proposal contained in the House version of the legislation, Bolen said. Read more about NBAA’s support for H.R.636.
“It remains vital that the nation’s airports and airspace continue to function in the public interest, rather than at the behest of a private entity,” Bolen concluded. “We want the U.S. to remain the world leader in aviation five, 10 and 25 years from now, without going down the risky path of turning over the air traffic system over to a combination of self-interested parties.
Forum attendees also heard from Jess Romo, VNY manager, and Glen Martin, FAA regional administrator of the Western-Pacific region, during the opening session. Following that, three education sessions were offered. A session entitled, “A Buyer’s Guide to a Successful Aircraft Transactions” was presented by Stephen Hofer, Aerlex Law Group; “Creating Public-Private Partnerships at Business Aviation Airports” was presented by Curt Castagna, Van Nuys Airport Association and; Sonnie Bates and Terry Yeomans from the International Business Aviation Council conducted a session on the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations and the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling.
The next NBAA Regional Forum will be held on Thursday, September 15 at Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, NY.
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, NJ, is pleased to announce the addition of a Falcon 2000 (N411YF) to its growing West Coast fleet of private business jets. This large cabin aircraft, completed in 2001 and refurbished in 2014, seats up to ten passengers. It is based at San Jose International Airport in San Jose, CA, and it is immediately available for charter (Certificate IMJA053F).
The Falcon 2000 is a long range, twin-engine business jet that offers the perfect combination of luxury and efficiency. The aircraft has a range of up to 3,130 statute miles with a maximum cruise speed of 475 mph. It comes fully-equipped with all of the features and amenities expected from today’s discerning business traveler: leather club seating, a full galley with microwave and convection ovens, coffee maker and espresso machine, private lavatory with sink, and berthable seats that can accommodate three beds that could sleep up to four people.
The aircraft also features the latest technology, including complimentary domestic Wifi, two iPad Pro tablets, an inflight satellite phone system, large 18” bulkhead monitors with Airshow® 3D moving maps, individual viewing monitors, and a multimedia entertainment center that features a DVD/CD player.
Chris Battaglia, Director of Charter Sales, says, “This Falcon 2000 is a great addition to our Northern California fleet. It is our second aircraft based near Silicon Valley, but it’s our first heavy jet in the region. This means that we can now offer our customers more versatility for both domestic and international trips. As we continue to build our West Coast fleet, our focus will be to increase the range of options with late-model aircraft while always maintaining our high safety standards.
Meridian currently manages a wide range of aircraft types that are available for private charter: Global 5000, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream GIV-SP, Falcon 7X, Falcon 900EX EASy, Falcon 2000EX EASy, Falcon 2000, Challenger 605, Challenger 604, Challenger 601, Gulfstream G200, Hawker 900XP, Hawker 800XP, Citation XLS, and Citation VII. Other aircraft types can also be obtained through Meridian’s extensive network of qualified operators.
Aviation Sales Executive
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, NJ, is pleased to announce that MaKayla Hambek has been named Aviation Sales Executive at Meridian Air Charter. Ms. Hambek is a proven industry professional with experience in sales, marketing, client relations, customer service, and office management. She will be responsible for growing the Meridian brand in Hayward, CA, by developing the retail charter business on the West Coast. She will be located at a new Meridian sales office at Van Nuys Airport in Van Nuys, CA.
MaKayla began her aviation career with Baymark Aviation at Van Nuys Airport as an Assistant Office Manager. The following year, she moved across the field to Castle & Cooke Aviation, a nationally recognized Fixed Base Operator, where she became a Customer Service Representative. Since January 2013, MaKayla served as Client Relations Manager, where she was responsible for business development at all three Castle & Cooke locations. Her work experience and business management degree from California State University, Northridge, has well-prepared her for new role at Meridian Air Charter.
Mike Moore, VP of Aviation Sales, had this to say, “Meridian will be opening a new FBO and hangar at Hayward Executive Airport in 2016, which will also serve as our base of operations for our Charter and Management businesses on the West Coast. MaKayla’s role will be to help build our brand in Hayward and throughout California. She will be a great asset to our organization because of her experience and enthusiasm. We are truly excited to have her join our team.”
Left to right: Greg Johnson (Meridian), Steve Chandoha (Meridian), Ken Forester (Meridian), Morad Fakhrai (City of Hayward), Mayor Barbara Halliday (City of Hayward), Doug McNeeley (Hayward Executive Airport), and Mark Stormberg (Tectonic Design).
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport (TEB) in northern New Jersey, is expanding to the West Coast. On Wednesday, July 29, 2015, the company hosted a ground breaking ceremony at the site of its future FBO and hangar facility at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) in Hayward, CA.
The ceremony featured speakers from business and local community leaders, including executives from Meridian and Tectonic Design (the architectural firm), dignitaries from the City of Hayward, and officials from Hayward Executive Airport. After the speeches, there was a ceremonial turning of the soil with hard hats and shovels, followed by a luncheon sponsored by Jet Gourmet at the recently dedicated Hayward Airport Administrative Building.
The new facility will be completed in multiple phases, with an initial commitment of $10 million. Phase I will feature a 6,300 sq. ft. FBO, a 30,000 sq. ft. hangar, and 3.5 acres of ramp. The hangar will be able to accommodate any corporate aircraft up to and including a Global Express and Gulfstream G650. Subsequent phases will add another 12,000 sq. ft. of terminal space, provide an additional 80,000 sq. ft. of hangar space, and increase the ramp size by 7 more acres.
Ken Forester, Meridian’s CEO, had this to say, “We are really excited to be breaking ground here at Hayward Executive Airport. This marks the beginning of a new era for our company. We are looking forward to growing our business here on the West Coast, and to creating good quality aviation jobs in the local economy. Hayward and the greater San Francisco region were an ideal choice for us, and we are proud to be part of its future.”
Meridian began its western expansion in September 2012, with the opening of a charter sales office at the San Jose International Airport (SJC) in San Jose, CA. A second sales office, located at the Sonoma County Airport (STS) in Santa Rosa, CA, opened in November of that year. In early 2013, the company based its first West Coast aircraft available for charter at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) in Hayward, CA.
On January 1, 2014, Meridian signed a 50-year lease with HWD with plans to build a full-service, world-class FBO and adjoining hangar at the airport. Hayward is situated on the southeast side of the San Francisco Bay. It is centrally-located between San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland. The airport, which can accommodate large-cabin aircraft, has no curfew and provides convenient access to a wide variety of popular destinations.
Once fully operational, Meridian Hayward will offer fuel, maintenance services, well-appointed passenger and crew facilities, and many other amenities. The location will also serve as the West Coast base for Meridian Air Charter and Meridian Aircraft Management. The company is planning to offer private charter services from Hayward by expanding its fleet of managed aircraft based at the new facility. Completion of the project is expected in the fall of 2016, with a grand opening to follow shortly afterwards.
Teterboro, NJ, April 18, 2012 – Meridian, the full-service, private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport (TEB) in NJ, was well-represented at the NBAA Regional Forum held at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in CA on Thursday, April 12, 2012. Meridian staffed an exhibition booth with six of its people to represent the company, greet visitors, discuss its vast array of private aviation services, and sponsor a raffle for an Amazon Gift Card. The lucky winner of the raffle was Raquel Cabrera of Skybird Aviation – Congratulations Raquel!
The Regional Forum drew more than 1,600 attendees, 112 exhibitors, and 16 aircraft, which were featured in a static display. One of the aircraft was the Bombardier Global 6000, which made its debut at the event. The Regional Forums, which are sponsored by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), provide a premier marketplace and a venue for discussing industry trends like iPads in the cockpit and federal excise tax issues for management companies. The next Regional Forum will be held at Teterboro Airport on Thursday, June 7, 2012.