Fly Louie Alliance Preferred FBO, Stellar Aviation, breaks ground on expansion in Reno
February 23, 2023
Stellar Aviation, a Fly Louie Alliance Preferred FBO since 2020, recently broke ground on a new terminal at Reno Tahoe International Airport in Nevada. It is the exclusive provider of discounted fuel rates at RNO for the 330 Part 135 operators enrolled in the Fly Louie Alliance. The Alliance Preferred FBO network now offers fuel savings at over 85 locations nationwide.
Stellar Aviation's plans to open the new facility began back in 2020, and following yesterday's ground breaking ceremony, Phase 1 of construction is expected to move quickly. The new building will include two 40,000 square foot hangar complexes, a terminal building, five acres of new ramp and aircraft parking, covered parking for autos and vehicle charging stations. It also plans to be among the first airports in the area to offer sustainable aviation fuel. Phase 1 is forecasted to cost $25 million and bring in 100 jobs to the Reno metro area. The first of the three phases of Stellar's expansion will be completed by the spring of 2024.
Featured attendees at the ceremony included Daren Griffin, president and CEO of Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, board members of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, first responders and individuals from the aviation community.
Stellar's commitment to developing state of the art facilities ensures that its FBO locations will continue to be preferred by Fly Louie Alliance members. The Stellar team is optimistic about the future of its partnership with Fly Louie. “Since day one, our partnership with Fly Louie has been instrumental to the growth of our business,” said Brad Kost, chief operating officer at Stellar Aviation. A significant and growing portion of Stellar's non-military business comes from the Fly Louie partnership.
Fly Louie fuel savings are available at Stellar locations at KRNO and KSPI, with hopes to expand to Carson City (KCXP). Ryan Rudolph, director of strategic initiatives at Fly Louie, attended the groundbreaking ceremony. "It has been amazing to be partnered with Stellar Aviation since its start at Reno. We've valued working with Brad, and we appreciate the entire staff at Stellar and their commitment to our Alliance members. We look forward to the continued success and growth of Stellar Aviation and the role Fly Louie can play.”
Stellar Aviation was established for the purpose of acquiring general aviation assets, particularly in the fixed base operator (FBO) sector. It has had a successful track record over the past 30 years. CEO Jonathan Miller is a key piece of Stellar's success, and the new terminal serves as a vital part of Stellar's operational expansion. Apart from being a bustling aviation hub, Stellar is not the only company investing in the Reno area. Google's data centre in Storey County completed construction and became fully operational in 2021. Located at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, the centre marked a $600 million investment by the company. Amazon has also been drawn to northern Nevada, building large fulfillment centres and distribution warehouses in the Reno area over the past several years.
