Scottsdale’s Rightpath to build 36,000-square-foot facility at Yuma airport

Yuma’s flying community got a huge boost today as Lux Air Jet Centers agreed to build a 36,000-square-foot facility next to the Yuma International Airport. The facility will include three new hangars for small and midsize jet aircraft and will be located next to the aircraft control tower.

Lux Air Jet Centers, based in Glendale, is a subsidiary of Scottsdale’s Rightpath Limited Development Group. Rightpath concentrates on aviation, commercial retail and residential communities. The company recently won a bid near the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, leasing more than 80 acres of space at $4.4 million a year. Like in Yuma, the company is also responsible for designing, building and maintaining an aircraft hangar on the site.

The Lux Air Jet Center in Glendale is a fixed base operation located on the Glendale Municipal Airport grounds. The company is adding an additional 500,000 square feet of hangar space during this year and will accommodate up to 150 aircraft. Rightpath expects to build out the facility to more than 1 million square feet during the next decade.

“We are very pleased to partner with the Yuma County Airport Authority,” said Danny Hendon, Rightpath partner. “With this new facility, we can better serve the general aviation community, the military and the airline industry for many years to come.”

While the plans for Yuma will be much smaller, city officials are happy to have one of Arizona’s most prominent builders adding to their airport. The airport is home to the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, specializing in air-to-ground training for U.S. and international pilots. Also located at the airport are the Yuma Proving Grounds, which is used by the U.S. Department of Defense for testing of state-of-the-art weaponry. In 2012, the Yuma airport will house the first development of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, expected to be one of the largest military aircraft procurements ever.

While the military reigns supreme at the Yuma airport, Rightpath associates think they can help add to the commercial side of business. With Yuma’s growing population and increased tourism potential, Rightpath thinks it is developing the transportation methods necessary for the increasingly popular city.

“This is the first step in our effort to provide an entirely new level of customer service and support to Yuma’s general aviation community,” said Robert Banovac, Rightpath. “During the next few months we will start the construction of a brand new fixed base operation which will house a magnificent general aviation air terminal.”

Ty Young can be reached at ty@aztechnews.net.