TAC Air says its FBO at the Braniff Centre on the east side of Dallas Love Field (DAL) airport says it is shaping up to be a premier facility.

After one year of redevelopment efforts, it is on schedule for a summer 2019 opening and, having secured leases for the original 120,000 sq ft of hangar space that was part of the Braniff airlines operations and maintenance base, TAC Air says demand for hangar space has been strong.

“Phase two of the new hangar space is currently in the development and design stage in order to accommodate further interest from parties wishing to base at the newly renovated facility,” says Greg Arnold, CEO and chairman of The Arnold Companies, parent company of TAC Air. “We are excited about completing the original hangar tenant commitments six months in advance of opening. Getting started on the expansion hangars will allow for additional interest in the facility, including transient and tenant opportunities at TAC Air DAL and the Braniff Centre.”

In the lead up to this summer's opening, TAC Air has appointed a general manager for its DAL FBO. Kip Simanek, who has over 38 years of aviation experience, will lead the FBO team and oversee operations, sales, hangar management and client services. Simanek is relocating to Dallas this spring from Little Rock, Arkansas (LIT) where he has managed the operations of TAC Air LIT for the past four and a half years.

“Kip's operations leadership at TAC Air LIT has grown a distinguished facility and ground services,” says VP and COO of TAC Air Christian Sasfai. “He will bring his experience of leading facility construction and ground operations with him to Dallas to establish TAC Air DAL as the premier FBO at Love Field.”

The Braniff Centre, originally known as the Braniff airlines operations and maintenance base, will be transformed into more than 250,000 sq ft of hangar space and aviation support facilities. It will be accompanied by 100,000 sq ft of retail, restaurant and office space, an auto-dealer showroom, entertainment venues, hospitality facilities and archives of its original tenants, Braniff International Airways. It is hoped that the Braniff Centre, located on Dallas Love Field's east-side along Lemmon Avenue, will appeal to surrounding neighbourhoods as well as Dallas' travellers.

The TAC Air DAL FBO at the Braniff Centre will feature amenities such as controlled access to private hangars and the executive terminal, concierge services comprising catering from local celebrity chefs, auto detailing, local event/venue reservations, auto-to-aircraft valeting and secured personal access to all retail facilities located at the Braniff Centre.