Bohlke International Aviation, the lone FBO at St. Croix’s Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, received a special VVIP group over the holidays—President Joe Biden and his family, who arrived on Air Force One. While the island has long been a favorite vacation destination for the Bidens, this trip—which spanned the period between Christmas and New Year—was the first for him as president and the first visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands by a sitting president since Bill Clinton in 1997.

The Bohlke customer service, maintenance, and ground crew teams worked closely with the U.S. Air Force, Coast Guard, and other government officials for several weeks ahead of the visit to ensure a safe trip for the Biden family. The facility and all its services underwent and passed a thorough audit prior to the visit.

“It’s an honor to serve the president and the U.S. military in this capacity,” said William “Billy” Bohlke, president of Bohlke International Aviation, third-generation professional pilot, and a current  Lt. Colonel in the Puerto Rico Air National Guard. “Not every small FBO gets an opportunity like this, and our team has handled every aspect with professionalism and pride.” 

The visit came as Bohlke is moving into its newly-built $5 million, 4,400-sq-ft permanent facility that replaces the one destroyed in 2017 by Hurricane Maria.