Martin Selling Its Operations at John Wayne
The owner of Martin Aviation, the 73-year-old aircraft flight services company founded by aviation pioneer Eddie Martin, has agreed to sell a substantial portion of its John Wayne Airport facilities to an affiliate of American Airlines, Martin officials said Friday.
Under the deal, whose terms were not disclosed, Dallas-based AMR COMBS will purchase Martin’s new headquarters and executive aviation hangar complex, charter business and “fixed base operation,” which provides fuel and other services for aircraft at John Wayne.
Those business will no longer operate as Martin Aviation, but the renowned name will not disappear entirely from Orange County. Martin Aviation, whose holding company Air/Lyon Inc. is controlled by Newport Beach developer William Lyon, will retain its aircraft maintenance business and some hangar storage space at John Wayne.
AMR had been scouting for a Southern California location to supplement its nationwide string of corporate aviation centers and has been negotiating with Martin Aviation for nearly 1 1/2 years, according to Pat Kenna, Martin’s vice president and general manager. Kenna said AMR was particularly attracted by Martin Aviation’s $4.2-million headquarters and executive aviation hangar complex, which opened late last year.
“That’s what made the deal so appealing to them,” Kenna said. “[Lyon] was made an attractive offer and he decided to take it.”
Lyon and AMR officials could not be reached for comment.
Lyon purchased Martin Aviation in 1990 in partnership with David Banmiller, a former airline executive who is no longer with the company. Under Lyon, Martin Aviation made a string of acquisitions, and at one point employed as many as 140 and maintained a fleet of 40 aircraft.
Kenna said Martin Aviation currently employs 60 at John Wayne, 46 of whom will transfer to AMR when the deal is completed, perhaps by mid-November. He said the other 14 workers will remain employees of Martin Aviation. Kenna would not disclose revenue or income figures for the privately held firm.
Kenna said the deal will require approval by the county officials, who must sign off on the transfer of Martin Aviation leases to AMR.
Lyon’s aviation empire still includes Elsinore Aerospace Services, which moved its headquarters from Newport Beach to John Wayne last year. Elsinore operates aviation services businesses for commercial aircraft in 31 cities nationwide, including Los Angeles and San Francisco international airports.
