One of the US’s leading FBOs and MROs, Yingling Aviation is celebrating its 75th anniversary having added more than 50,000 sq.ft. of hangar and office space at Wichita’s Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport. As part of the expansion, the FBO and MRO facility acquired three additional hangars adjacent to the east runway and in close proximity to its existing space.
Yingling President, Andrew Nichols, described the expansion of its ongoing business and operations as an appropriate way to celebrate 75 years in Wichita. “The acquisition of these three hangars comes at an ideal time, not just from a historical perspective, but also a practical one. Our MRO support of the Citation and King Air models and our FBO activities continue to expand. The addition of these properties will not only allow us to grow the services we offer, they make it possible for us to build lasting partnerships with an increasing number of aircraft owners and operators. This is a win for Wichita, the aviation community, and our Textron Aviation customers,” he said.
Yingling Aviation has been operated by three seperate owners during its three quarters of a century. Vic Yingling founded the company in 1946 and the Yingling family operated it until 1982, when Jerry Vanier, a Salina businessman, took over. On 1 January, 2000, Lynn Nichols purchased the firm, electing to retain the familiar name. In 2001 and 2022 he invested some much-needed capital in renovating the facilities, adding a new Completions hangar in 2005, as well. Under Lynn’s leadership, Yingling expanded its facilities and services dramatically, offering air charter services, aircraft modifications, aircraft interior completions, refurbishment, and repair, avionics installations and repairs, aircraft sales, expanded hangar capacity for locally-based and transient aircraft, and both piston and turbine engine fuel sales.
In 2020, Yingling completed a major upgrade featuring the newly acquired 50,000 sq. ft. facility, which supports a full-service paint facility and interior completions facility. Today, the company’s footprint now consists of more than 250,000 sq. ft. of facilities and approximately 500,000 sq. ft. of ramp space.
