The ownership group of Big Island Jet Center has announced the hiring of long-time aviation executive, Tom Owen, as its General Manager. Big Island Jet Center is a premier FBO under construction at Ellison Onizuka International Airport (PHKO) in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i.
Owen has 18 years of experience in business aviation operations and is best known for his time as a key member of the FBO management team at Avfuel Corporation, supporting the operational success of some of the industry’s most highly respected FBOs. In his new role, Owen is charged with leading the development and operation of Hawaii’s most modern FBO facility and the airport’s only independent FBO.
Owen has already relocated to Kona in preparation for Big Island Jet Center’s opening in early December 2023. Toward this end, the FBO’s large ramp is nearing completion, a 50,000-gallon fuel farm is under development, and a luxury temporary terminal is being placed until the completion of its 7,500-square-foot executive terminal complex in 2024.
The modern FBO’s large, open-concept executive terminal will have a distinctly Hawaiian feel, showcasing a true “aloha spirit” while providing cutting-edge amenities and services. Designed to support private aviation passengers and flight crews, Big Island Jet Center’s Pacific oasis will have all the amenities expected of today’s FBOs and more: luxurious waiting areas, well-appointed restrooms, high-tech conference areas, and wireless connectivity throughout the facility and ramp.
The sprawling, nine-acre ramp will support aircraft up to a B737-800 or Airbus A319. To safely house aircraft, Big Island Jet Center plans to construct environmentally sensitive hangars to the highest standards of Hawaiian building codes with regard to wind and storms.
