Commander Premier files for bankruptcy

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Commander Premier Aircraft Corporation has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

In May, the City of Cape Girardeau gave the company notice to vacate the city-owned hangar at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. The deadline passed, and Commander instead chose to protect itself from creditors with the bankruptcy filing.

Commander filed the papers on June 16 in Tyler, Texas.

Cape Girardeau City Manager Scott Meyer says that the filing changes the city’s timeline for a what he hoped would be the voluntary and smooth transition of the hangar.

“We will need a forced takeover, if you will, of the hangar. So we will have to wait for the court to do that. Typically that’s 30, 60 days. So that’s where it puts that,” Meyer said.

In a press statement, Commander Premier President Greg Walker said that his company choose bankruptcy in order to complete a sale of the company to Montreal-based Aero-Base, Inc. The statement mentions that the City of Cape Girardeau and a private party holding a large company note initiated legal actions against Commander.

Commander Premier made only eight of 59 rent payments to the city since it began operations in 2006.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Commander Premier still in airport hanger

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The aircraft company Commander Premier is forcing the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport’s Advisory Committee to make tough decisions.

The company is more than one million dollars behind on the rent for the usage of the hangar it currently occupies.

Airport Manager and committee member Bruce Loy says that the board is recommending that the city does not reach any side agreements on the hanger with any company until Commander Premier has vacated the property.

“We are working with the city and at some point in time if they are not going to get out on their own, we will probably need to lock the facility up,” Loy said.

The committee stated that, to date, it does not appear that Commander Premier has even begun to move out of the hanger.

Commander’s deadline for vacating the hangar is Thursday.

The Airport Advisory Board also discussed the air traffic control (ATC) at their meeting Tuesday night ... and there is little relief in sight for ATC operators at Cape Girardeau’s Regional Airport.

Currently the ATC at the airport is in operation 10 hours a day, 7 days a week. Many other airports run their ATC for about 12 hours.

But Cape’s airport also only has three full time ATC operators on staff.

The airport’s Advisory Committee wants to hire another operator; however a lack of funds means that they will have to look first for funds to train a part time operator to help out.

Despite this, Loy holds out hope for the future.

“Down the road we are hopeful, that maybe can use that person if we can get the find mores maybe to turn that into just, just a part time controller so if we could turn that into a half time. We would probably be able to go into a 12 hour operation,” Loy said.

Nevertheless the airport will first have to locate funds.

The airport has fewer operators then many other comparable airports in Missouri, but it has more flights.

Tim Filla, KRCU

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City sends final notice to Commander

Cape Girardeau City Manager Scott Meyer sent a letter to Commander Premier Aircraft Corporation, instructing the company to vacate city property within 30 days.

Commander Premier has failed to pay rent to the city for over three years. According to the letter dated May 16, the company has also failed to provide required insurance documentation.

Meyer’s letter says that if Commander does leave the premises within 30 days, then the city has the right to enter the property and remove all parties.

The letter also states that eviction does not end Commander’s financial obligation to the City of Cape Girardeau. Commander must still pay back rent. Interest will continue to accrue.

The aircraft manufacturer has been housed at a city-owned hanger near the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport since 2007.

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Cairo airport struck by tornado; Cape airport to resume flights to STL

The airport at Cairo, Illinois was hit by a tornado Saturday night. The tornado ripped apart the hanger and damaged the office and at least one airplane, according to the Associated Press and The Southern Illinoisan newspaper.

The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport will resume flights to Lambert International Airport on Tuesday, according to a press release.

Cape Air flights will use Concourse D.

The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport was not affected by storms. Local operations are normal.

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TTF will fund Broadway renovations

Cape Girardeau City Manager Scott Meyer says that the City Council’s decision to take nearly two million dollars to pay off the airport bond is akin to a household using a tax refund to pay off the credit cards - yet still making a new purchase in the long run.

On Tuesday, the City Council decided use the upfront money from Isle of Capri Casino to make a final payment on its adjacent airport facility construction loan in order to save money on interest.

The city originally planned to use the money for Broadway Street renovation and beautification. Meyer says that the city has every intention to move forward with the Broadway plan by tapping in to Transportation Trust Fund dollars as originally laid out in TTF4.

"With TTF we’ll pay for Broadway. There’s not money there for amenities, but we also might also apply for a grant for those amenities as well. So we’re looking for every possible dollar we can," Meyer said.

The bond is question was used to construct the airport facility now housing Commander Premier, who owes the city one-point-two-million in unpaid rent. The city has already told the aircraft manufacturer that it will be evicted if it does not pay off its back rent.

By paying off the bond, the city can lease the facility to a business other than an aircraft manufacturer.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Thorngate plan approved, Commander Premier must pay rent

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Cape Girardeau City Council voted Tuesday night to approve the Thorngate Redevelopment Plan which will allow Blair Industries to expand operations to the currently empty building at 1507 Independence Street.

Blair Industries currently operates within the area and their expansion is something that mayor Harry Rediger believes is important.

“History has proven that the majority of new development and new jobs are created by our friends; existing businesses, existing industries, and existing manufacturers,” Rediger said.

The city will grant the business’s owner a real-estate tax abatement for 10 years as incentive to help alleviate start up costs of their expansion. The majority of the abatement will be from the school system, something that Rediger says will be outweighed by new jobs and new residents brought to the community.

The redevelopment should create more than 30 new jobs in Cape Girardeau.

It also appears that Commander Premier’s days at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport could be numbered. City Manager Scott Meyer explained that the city has given the struggling aircraft manufacturer 60 days to pay the $1.2 million it owes the city in rent. Commander Premier has not made a rent payment for over three years. Failure to pay the rent will lead to eviction.

In other business, the council scheduled a sound experiment which will help them construct a new noise ordinance in downtown Cape Girardeau. Members of the council will review noise levels by placing sound systems in several downtown businesses to help decide the size and scale of the new ordinance.

The noise test will take place on the evening of March 8 in the downtown area.

Matthew Caldwell, KRCU

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Senator Blunt will vote “No” on Essential Air Amendment

Senator Roy Blunt announced on Wednesday that he will not vote for the Essential Air Service Amendment proposed by Senator John McCain.

The Essential Air Service program currently provides a guarantee to rural areas that at least a minimal level of scheduled air services will be provided, regardless of whether it is profitable or not.

If passed, the amendment will cut most of the $200 million program and effectively eliminate most small rural airports.

Senator Blunt voiced his concerns regarding the effect such cuts could have on local airports and jobs.

"It’s actually one of the few areas where some government money produces lots of private sector jobs," Blunt said. "It makes the difference in whether jobs at airports in Joplin, Kirksville, Cape Girardeau, and Columbia have air service or not."

The bill was approved by a House committee on Wednesday but has not been voted on by the Senate.

Katie Long, KRCU

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Cape Girardeau Airport looks at 60 acre expansion and 6 daily flights

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - The Cape Girardeau Airport Advisory Board held a monthly board meeting last night to address several current issues regarding the growing facility.

If approved, 60 acres of land will be added to the northwest portion of the property and the parking lot will undergo construction to accommodate expansion.

With all this growth, national budget cuts could plague the regional airport’s plans. Furthermore, Cape Girardeau Regional Airport manager Bruce Loy still has to convince to FAA to increase the number of daily flights.

"Right now they are showing a budget for us for four round trips a day, but our contention has been that Marion and Quincey are seeing six round trips a day, and we just simply think it's unfair that Cape's not seeing six as well," Loy said.

Air transportation into Cape Girardeau is very important for all aspects of the city's economy, Loy says.

In other matters, board members began planning for the air show in 2012.

Ryan Paluczak, KRCU

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