Establishment of New Ohio Customs Facility Was a Team Effort

Aug. 13, 2015

Business aircraft operators returning to the U.S. from foreign locations now have a new option for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) processing in central Ohio: a general aviation CBP processing facility opened at Lane Aviation at Port Columbus International Airport in Columbus, OH.

The Columbus Regional Airport Authority (CRAA), Ohio Regional Business Aviation Association (ORBAA) and local NBAA Member Companies, including Lane Aviation, worked with CBP to make the facility a reality.

“This facility is an investment in creating greater business aviation access, which we know leads to a greater [positive] economic impact for the surrounding region,” said NBAA Vice President of Regulatory and International Affairs Doug Carr. “Business aviation is a productivity multiplier. Where business aviation goes, investment and economic development follow.”

“The Columbus Regional Airport Authority values the many contributions of general aviation to our community and the Columbus region,” said Mark Mulchaey, CRAA’s manager of general aviation business development. “We appreciate Lane Aviation’s decision to make an investment in the airport and the community, as well as CBP’s partnership in this important initiative.”

With advanced notice from aircraft operators, CBP officials at Columbus will process general aviation flights seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The new facility will be capable of handling one flight with up to 20 individuals (passengers and crew) at a time.

The facility was built by Lane Aviation at a cost of around $900,000, and will enable the FBO’s existing tenants to be processed in a convenient location and other international arrivals to be serviced quickly, explained Mark Myers, vice president of development for Lane Aviation.

“We’ve spent two and a half or three years working with all the stakeholders involved, including the Chamber [of Commerce] and others, to get the word out – this is the place you want to stop and clear internationally,” said Myers.

“A project as significant as a new general aviation CBP facility isn’t successful because of one organization or one person,” noted Carr, who added that the approach used to create this facility is a model for the establishment of similar facilities nationwide. “We congratulate CBP, ORBAA, the Columbus business community and Lane Aviation for their efforts and investment in this new facility.”