Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company, is pleased to announce that its West Coast fixed base operator (FBO), Meridian Hayward, was voted the Corporate Aircraft Association’s (CAA) Preferred FBO at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) in Hayward, CA. CAA is a membership-based organization that is dedicated to enhancing the operating efficiencies of corporate flight departments. A “CAA Preferred” FBO represents a combination of good service and fair pricing for its members, serviced by the most highly qualified personnel and FBO management in the industry.
A CAA Preferred FBO must be voted into the program. In order to be eligible, it must receive at least 35 votes from participating CAA Fuel Program Members. If there are multiple FBOs at an airport, the one receiving the most votes is named the CAA Preferred FBO. The winner is then tendered a three-year, exclusive contract at its airport.
The voting period for HWD ran from October 1 – 7, 2018, and results were announced on Monday, October 8. Meridian Hayward General Manager, Carlos Rodriguez, was excited by the news: “The entire Meridian team is ecstatic over this designation because it will give us the opportunity to show loyal CAA members that we provide outstanding customer service at very competitive pricing. With both of our FBO locations CAA Preferred facilities, we can now fully serve our CAA customers on both coasts.”
Meridian Teterboro has been the CAA Preferred FBO at Teterboro Airport since 1996. The CAA Preferred FBO designation for Meridian Hayward will officially begin at HWD on November 1, 2018.
Tag: Hayward Executive Airport
On Thursday, May 10th, Meridian was pleased to host Southern & Northern California Schedulers and Dispatchers Group (SONO) first meeting of 2018. This special event was held at our Hayward facility, located at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD), just outside of San Francisco, CA. The purpose of this event was to create a valuable networking opportunity for business aviation professionals, and to provide an educational forum to enhance the knowledge and experience of our S&D community.
The fun evening featured a “World War II” theme that took guests back in time to the 1940’s. The event featured a variety of activities and exhibits, including The Cosmo Alleycats, a swing dance band with a vintage twist, authentic Mai Tai’s served in tiki drinking glasses, vintage aircraft and vehicles on display in the hangar, and replica war posters and bunting decorating the walls. About halfway through the evening, Jeff Bass, President & CEO of Hiller Aviation Museum located in San Carlos, CA, gave a very interesting and historical presentation about how the local aviation community was developed in California during WWII. At the end of the evening, a drawing took place that offered high-value prizes to several lucky winners.
In total, there were about 200 guests in attendance, and so far, feedback about the event was extremely positive. Carlos Rodriguez, Meridian Hayward GM, had this to say, “We are honored that SONO had asked us to host their annual spring meeting. We knew that it would be a unique opportunity for us to showcase our new facility here in the Bay Area with a very targeted group of business aviation professionals. We hope that all of our guests and sponsors had enjoyed themselves, and we hope they continue to spread the word about our operations here. I think they will find that we have a lot to offer.”
To see photos of the event, please visit our online gallery: https://photos.meridian.aero/MeridianHWD-SONO-Sp18.
We would also like to give a special thanks to all of our sponsors. Without their support, this event would not have been possible.
Gold Sponsors
Airsure Limited
FlightSafety International
Signature Flight Support
Silver Sponsors
EPIC Fuels
Mente Group
International Trip Planning Services
Castle & Cooke Aviation
World Fuel Services
Eastern Aviation Fuels
Service Sponsors
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company with locations at Teterboro Airport and Hayward Executive Airport, is pleased to announce that Carlos Rodriguez has been named General Manager of Meridian Hayward. Mr. Rodriguez had been serving as Operations Manager at the same location. In his new role, he will be responsible for overseeing and managing the daily operations of the facility, developing the customer base by communicating the intrinsic value of Hayward Executive Airport in the Bay Area, and assuring the service experience reflects Meridian’s high-quality standards. Carlos will be managing a staff of 18 employees.
Carlos began his career with Meridian in 2002 when the company was part of the Million Air franchise. Through hard work and determination, Carlos moved up through the ranks and became the company’s first Training & Safety Coordinator in February of 2013. In 2015, when Meridian decided to expand westward to Hayward, CA, a motivated leader was needed to head up operations and get things off the ground. Carlos had excelled in his role as a Training & Safety Coordinator at Meridian Teterboro and he had an interest in moving West, so it was a natural step to promote him to Operations Manager at Hayward.
After a successful launch in October 2016, the new FBO is continuing to grow under Carlos’ management. “In 2016, I was very excited to join Meridian’s expansion to the west coast as the company was in the process of laying the foundation of its culture in the heart of the San Francisco Bay area” said Mr. Rodriguez. “Now that we have been operational for almost a year, I look forward to taking the customer experience to the next level. As GM, I hope to incorporate everything I learned at Meridian Teterboro alongside the best team in the industry and deliver the same extraordinary service to our customers here. I am really excited to have the opportunity to grow our brand and service culture in the Bay Area.”
“I am extremely proud of Carlos and all he has accomplished over the last 14 years,” said Ken Forester, Meridian CEO. “He exemplifies what we stand for at Meridian. Our entire team is committed to giving our customers, both at Hayward and Teterboro, the very best service every day.”
This past week, a few Meridian Hayward employees had the privilege of taking a ride in a Vietnam era assault helicopter known as the Huey. This was courtesy of EMU Inc., a non-profit organization that is located across from our facility in Hayward, CA. For the past year, we have been fueling their helicopter, and they took the time to thank our line service and customer service teams.
EMU derives its name from the radio call sign of the 135th Assault Helicopter Company, which was composed of both U.S. Army and Royal Australian Navy personnel. Because of this unique composition, the 135th was considered an Experimental Military Unit, hence its call sign EMU. Today, EMU Inc. is a non-profit organization that serves three important purposes:
1. To preserve the history of the Huey Helicopter and the memory of the men who served in the 135th Assault Helicopter Company and all AHCs in Vietnam.
2. To own and operate accurately recreated helicopters utilized by the 135th AHC during its service in Vietnam and to make these aircraft available to museums, air shows, public displays and for the support of Veterans affairs.
3. To recognize and offer emotional support to Combat Veterans with PTSD of all eras through comradery and contact with the Huey.
We at Meridian would first like to thank everyone who fought in the 135th Assault Helicopter Company for their service. We would also like to thank EMU for taking the time to recognize our employees and providing them with an experience they’ll never forget.
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company with FBO locations at Teterboro Airport (TEB) and Hayward Executive Airport (HWD), is pleased to announce the launch of a new video featuring Meridian Hayward. The video is an introduction to its recently-opened facility situated on the San Francisco Bay in Northern California. It provides an overview of the terminal and hangar while also explaining the convenience and benefits of Hayward’s location for business aviation. The video gives a first-hand look at the vast array of services and amenities offered to passengers and pilots. The video’s length spans 2 minutes and 13 seconds.
Kirk Stephen, Director of Marketing, was excited about the launch. “This video offers viewers an in-depth perspective into our new FBO in Hayward, while also creating awareness to the advantages of flying into HWD. Our customers who know us from Teterboro will recognize that we have brought the same attention to detail and high level of customer service with us to Hayward. Whether you fly on the East Coast or West Coast, we want people to know that the Meridian brand is the same everywhere.”
The video can be viewed here: Meridian Hayward Welcome Video. It can also be found on the home page of the Meridian website (www.meridian.aero), as well as on Meridian’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/meridianteterboro).
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company headquartered at Teterboro Airport, is pleased to announce that its new fixed-base operation at Hayward Executive Airport in Hayward, California celebrated its much-anticipated Grand Opening last week. The world-class FBO facility has been open for business since October, but the company made its official debut with a festive, holiday-themed Grand Opening gala on the evening of Thursday, December 15.
Despite a heavy downpour of rain throughout the day, more than 150 guests came out to celebrate the special occasion, including the Hayward mayor and city council, airport executives, industry colleagues, and Meridian associates from both locations. The traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony was the keystone moment of the evening, with several notable speakers welcoming Meridian Hayward to the community. Ken Forester, Meridian CEO, accepted the honor of cutting the ribbon with large ceremonial scissors provided by the Hayward Chamber of Commerce.
In keeping with the holiday spirit, the company supported the Toys for Tots gift drive and asked guests to donate a new toy for underprivileged children. Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. By the end of the evening, five large boxes were filled with toys donated by generous attendees, making the drive a huge success.
The newly constructed Hayward facility features a 6,300 square foot terminal with support offices, a 30,000 square foot hangar and 3.5 acres of ramp area. The hangar can accommodate any corporate aircraft up to and including a Global Express and Gulfstream G650. Subsequent phases will add another 12,000 square feet of terminal space, provide an additional 80,000 square feet of hangar space and increase the ramp size by an additional seven acres. The facility will serve as the West Coast base for Meridian Air Charter and Meridian Aircraft Management. Aircraft maintenance support is also available.
The facility features the same services and amenities that discerning passengers and flight crews would expect to find when traveling through a Meridian FBO. Customer service and line service teams have been highly trained to move and handle aircraft and cater to the needs of customers. The terminal features 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.
Ken Forester, CEO, had this to say, “We are extremely pleased to be able to announce the grand opening of Meridian Hayward, our new FBO. This event marks the beginning of a new chapter for our company, and we are very excited to have been able to celebrate our grand opening during the holiday season with our colleagues and friends. We hope that our guests enjoyed themselves this evening, and will carry the message to others that we are here, we are open, and we are ready to serve.”
Meridian signed a 50-year lease with Hayward Executive Airport with plans to build a full-service facility and adjoining hangar at the airport in January 2015, and broke ground for the buildings in July 2015. 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.
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.
On July 20 & 21, Meridian held a job fair for the screening and hiring of customer service and line service candidates at the Residence Inn Pleasanton in Northern California. The award-winning private aviation company is hiring candidates for open positions at its new facility at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) in Hayward, CA. The job fair was a big success because all of the customer service positions were filled, as well as most of the line service positions. Start dates will begin in late August and all new hires will come to Meridian’s FBO at Teterboro Airport (TEB) for training.
We are still hiring for ramp agents, so if you are interested, please call Shelley Zarro in Human Resources at 201-288-5040 x277.
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 expanding westward to Hayward Executive Airport in Hayward, CA. As the concrete is poured and the steel goes up, people are beginning to take notice – including our friends at EVA International. EVA publishes Executive & VIP Aviation, a quarterly journal aimed at private aircraft owners and operators and the industries that support them. The Autumn 2015 issue was just released, and it features an in-depth article about the new Meridian Hayward facility, which is currently under construction. The issue is being mailed to its 15,000 international subscribers and will be displayed later this month at NBAA2015, the industry’s largest trade show. The NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition will bring together 26,000 key aviation contacts from around the world, including current and prospective business aircraft owners, manufacturers and customers into one meeting place to get critical work accomplished.
Click here to read the article!