In his working-class anthem Allentown, singer Billy Joel described the decline of Pennsylvania's rust belt, long the heart of America's steel industry. Bethlehem Steel, one of the titans in the field, as well as one of the region's major employers went bankrupt, but today, amid the ghosts of the company's former flight department at Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), an FBO is thriving. Operated since 2004 by the Lehigh Northampton Airport Authority (along with the lone service facilities at Allentown Queen City Municipal Airport and Braden Airpark (formerly Easton Airport)), Lehigh Valley Aviation Services occupies Hangar Seven, which still bears evidence of its former occupant. In a recent windstorm, one of the FBO’s sign boards was blown down revealing the original Bethlehem Steel name on the nearly 60-year old structure.
The full-service FBO, a member of the Air Elite Network, has a 6,400 sq ft terminal, adjoining the hangar, offering a pilots lounge, flight planning room, shower facilities, two ten-seat conference rooms, concierge service, a crew car, and a courtesy shuttle. It is currently open from 5 am until 10 pm but is planning to move to 24/7 operations by the end of the summer as it augments its 28-member staff to accommodate that. Fitting its international airport status, U.S. Customs is available weekdays from 9 am until 5 pm but the airport authority is working on an agreement with CPB on an after-hours approved-reimbursable plan.
The airport averages approximately 500 general aviation arrivals a month, with traffic steady all year round. “I wouldn’t say there is one season that is busiest,” noted general manager Kimberly Rawhouser. “I’ve just been noticing that each year we are busier and busier.”
The FBO is home to 62 private turbine aircraft ranging from a Gulfstream G650 to a Pilatus PC-12. While it has nearly 200,000 sq ft of hangar space, which can accommodate aircraft up to a BBJ, the facility is currently at over 97 percent occupancy. To remedy that, another $16 million, 54,000 sq ft heated hangar is under construction and is expected to be completed this fall.
“Take a look at the economy for the Lehigh Valley and its incredible what kind of business growth there has been in the area,” said Thomas Stoudt, the authority’s executive director. “As businesses are locating there and logistics and supply chain businesses are finding the Lehigh Valley as home, you’re really starting to see a lot more activity on the corporate side for travel.”
With responsibility for all aircraft fueling on the airport, the FBO pumps upwards of 17 million gallons a year, two million in Jet A for general aviation alone. The airport’s World Fuel Services-supplied fuel farm holds 150,000 gallons in jet fuel, and 12,000 gallons in avgas. It is served by five Jet A refuelers (two 10,000 gallon, three 5,000 gallon and one 3,000 gallon tanker) and a pair of avgas trucks. During a project to enlarge the fuel farm, the foundations and basements of long-forgotten dwellings, which once housed Bethlehem Steel’s flight department pilots, maintenance technicians and their families were uncovered.
The airport, which played host to the likes of Amelia Earhart, celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, but prior to its 1929 opening, it served for two years as an emergency landing strip, as designated by the U.S Department of Commerce. In its first year as an airport, 9,600 sq ft Hangar 1 was built at a price tag of $18,000, and while it no longer shelters aircraft it is still in daily use as the airport’s rental car preparation facility.
The airport is also celebrating its 15th anniversary as an FBO operator. “We’re a very customer-centric organization and I think that’s really one of the reasons we wanted to get into the FBO business,” said Stoudt. “We really believe that we can provide a higher level of customer service internally given the culture of our team. I think that’s the thing we are known for, whether you are flying commercially at this airport or you’re flying through our general aviation terminal at the FBO.” On one occasion when Nicole Kidman’s flight into Teterboro Airport was recently diverted to ABE due to weather, her limousine was unable to reach her in time due to traffic. Instead, after asking if the Oscar-winning actress would mind riding in a Jeep, an FBO staffer drove her more than an hour away to her movie set. “We’re all about going that extra mile, taking that extra step to please our customers, the pilots, whatever we can do to make them happy,” said Rawhouser.
A driver of business to the FBO is nearby Pocono Racetrack, which this year will host two NASCAR events. The first at the end of May attracted hundreds of passengers and required over 200 rental cars.
ABE is currently in the midst of a four-year, $80 million renovation project on its 7,599 foot main runway. The work, which kicked off last fall, includes a complete pavement reconstruction with paved shoulders, new lighting and drainage.
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