Buyers Lining Up To Bid On Landmark FBO Network

Officials of Landmark Aviation's network of 33 North American fixed-base operations are in the final stages of fine-tuning the sales process for that network, an opportunity that has generated intense interest from prospective buyers.

The pending sale of Landmark's Airport Services FBO network was precipitated by the acquisition of Landmark's Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) business, along with that of Standard Aero, by Dubai Aerospace Enterprise. See related article on Page 55. DAE wants to concentrate on the MRO business, so it has established a separate business entity overseen by a group of management trustees. Shawn Vick, the veteran business aviation executive who was president of Landmark Aviation, has taken over as chief executive officer of the Airport Services business and is working closely with the trustees and financial adviser Merrill Lynch in organizing the sales process.

The planned sale of the third largest FBO chain in the country comes as the FBO industry is going through a period of consolidation that has driven up prices and attracted buyers from outside the aviation industry who believe the aviation service business will continue to grow.