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Facility near Pflugerville can accommodate more than 50 private planes

By James Rincon

Pflag Reporter

Austin-area aviators are go for takeoff now that the ribbon has been cut on the region’s newest airport, located just south of Pflugerville.

More than 450 spectators gathered on June 8 for the grand opening of Austin Executive Airport, which sits atop the once rundown runway of what used to be Bird’s Nest Airport at the southeast corner of Cameron Road and state Highway 130.

Sen. Kirk Watson, Pflugerville Mayor Jeff Coleman and members of the Pflugerville Chamber of Commerce were among the civic leaders in attendance for the event.

“I think that the event was absolutely wonderful. I couldn’t have been more pleased with all the community support that came out,” AEA Executive Director Andrew Perry said.

Airport owner Ron Henriksen’s $33 million renovation brought 6,025 feet of runway and a fully loaded luxury terminal to the pastures of Austin’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, where more than 50 private planes can be stored for clients ranging from weekend flyers to jet-setting corporate CEOs – and the expansion comes not a moment too soon.

“Austin was the largest city in the United States without a reliever airport,” Perry said. “In the late 90s, Austin had two airports close, which were Mueller and the old Tim’s Executive Airpark. About 300 airplanes were displaced around the Austin area, so they’ve been looking to find a reliever airport to Austin-Bergstrom over the last 11 years or so. So we knew there was an opportunity and Austin really needed it.”

The airport’s 27,000-square- foot terminal provides its clientele with a gamut of high-end accommodations, including a custom computer lab equipped with software that provides information on flying conditions, a projection-screen movie theater with rows of leather recliners, three kitchens, two fully furnished bedrooms for weary pilots and travelers, four courtesy cars at clients’ disposal, a washer and dryer and several lounge areas to unwind before and after flights.

“This is by far the nicest [business providing airport services] I’ve ever seen,” AEA line service technician Ryan Pickett said. “They’ve really pulled out all of the stops to provide everything a client could need right here at the airport.”

Pickett joined the AEA team after spending years working at Georgetown Municipal Airport. Before moving to the area Pickett worked at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. Pickett’s is just one of the up to 50 jobs the airport will look to bring to the area over the next year.

Perry said demand continues to grow and plans are already drawn up to build more hangars as soon as next month.

“We went from an about 2,700 feet, 80 percent grass, 10 percent rock old rundown strip with some metal T-hangars, to a facility that can handle up to [model] 737 traffic,” Perry said. “We’re ready to expand more within the next 30 days. We just need the owner to say go.”