Aircraft business switches focus to Montgomery

A potential hotel and dormitory to house up to 2,000 prospective pilots per year and a military contract that would create 100 to 150 full-time staff will not come to Pensacola after the owner of Sky Warrior Inc. said he grew frustrated with an apparent lack of interest from city officials.

Instead, George Sigler said he is in negotiations with Marianna and Montgomery, Ala., for the hotel, which is contingent on winning an Air Force flight screening contract.

“I’d love to do it here in Pensacola but I cannot sit around for months for a reply. This thing is moving right along,” Sigler said. “It is very disappointing to me.”

Sigler is the owner of Sky Warrior Inc, a flight instruction and aircraft maintenance company that operates out of a hangar at Pensacola International Airport.

He currently employs about 30 people to fulfill a Navy introductory flight screening contract that teaches graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy, Reserve Officer Training Corp and Officer Candidate School the basics of flying. He then assesses who has the potential to be a pilot.

Sigler hopes to bid on a similar 10-year contract with the Air Force that could bring 2,000 prospective pilots per year and require between 100 and 150 full-time instructors and maintenance personnel. He said the contract could be worth as much as $178 million.

He reached out to the city about renting existing homes near the airport in the College/Campus Heights subdivisions for housing the potential Air Force pilots. In a July 8 email sent to Sigler, interim airport director Daniel E. Flynn said only one of the homes was habitable.

“Most of these properties have been vacant for some time, and since the intention was to demolish them, utilities have been cut off, appliances and air conditioners have been removed, and the units have not been maintained,” Flynn’s email said. “Many have also been used for training by various law enforcement agencies, who have cut holes in walls and otherwise practiced entry techniques that result in damage.”

“We could talk with you about rental terms and conditions for the one that could be used if you’re still interested,” the email continued. “Again though, it doesn’t appear as if there will be many of the vacant buildings that will be rentable.”

Sigler met with city of Montgomery officials who have sent him a letter of intent offering a 10-year lease for $100 per year, with two additional 10-year extensions, for two and a half acres at Montgomery Regional Airport.

According to the letter of intent and contingent on being awarded the Air Force contract, a commercial hotel with dining, workout facilities and conference rooms will be built. In addition to housing military students, the Montgomery hotel would be open to commercial air carrier passengers and general aviation customers.

“We are very familiar with the Air Force program, and we think we have a good chance of winning this bid,” Sigler said.

Mayor Ashton Hayward’s office declined a request for an interview but said in an email that it could not comment without knowing more about the Air Force contract.

Sigler is also unhappy about not being able to get an extension on the ground lease of the $1 million hangar at the Pensacola airport he bought about three months ago. He wants to extend the 22-year lease to the maximum 30 years that Florida law allows. Through an email from a spokesman, the city said the extension is not permissible under state statute.

The Navy contract is renewed annually and Sigler has screened potential pilots for the past eight years.

Sky Warrior provides flight instruction for private pilots up to airline pilots. It also performs maintenance and repairs for commercial airlines at the airport, Sigler said.