Thornton Aviation has added a hangar and technicians at Burbank (KBUR). With the expanded capacity, Thornton Aviation can now accommodate six large cabin aircraft at the KBUR operation.
With their Van Nuys headquarters space staying busy, along with an ever-increasing demand for Starlink installations, the Thornton Aviation team knew it needed more room and more help. Already occupying hangar 89 at KBUR, they recently expanded into hangar 38. They also added Rodney Bryant as general manager, and they have been growing their team ever since.
“Today, we are working on a Global 5000, a Gulfstream V and we’re expecting a Gulfstream IV. We also have a Falcon 7X about to deliver. We have 14 technicians on site today, although a couple are borrowed from Van Nuys,” said Rodney, KBUR general manager. “Our long-term goal is to have 15 technicians based at this facility so that we are able to consistently work three to four aircraft at a time while having capacity for unscheduled work.”
Although the facility is working on at least two Starlink installations at any one time, they also are seeing a significant uptick in drop-ins from both operators based at the airport and from those around the country visiting the Los Angeles area. They recently assisted a KBUR-based operator with a hydraulic reservoir repair on their Gulfstream 550.
“Our mission for the facility is to provide safe, quality work with minimal downtime and little to no rework. Our opportunities on the field are growing, and we’re getting lots of repeat business from customers who have tried us,” added Rodney.
Rodney joined Thornton Aviation from Standard Aero to lead the Burbank operation. He has worked in aviation for more than 30 years, culminating in leadership-level roles.
