FBOs economic hub of regional airports

BROOMFIELD – When corporate jets and recreational aircraft land at small regional airports such as the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Jefferson County, many of them seek the same services found at large airports – fuel, food, hangars and rental cars.

That’s where fixed-base operators, or FBOs, come into play. The private businesses, which typically lease land from the airport, provide the background services to keep the airport running.

It’s the business of Broomfield-based Ross Aviation, which owns 13 FBOs across the United States, including its hometown Denver AirCenter FBO, which has been at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport for 27 years.…