Real Estate

Request Fuel Price

Aero Center Wilmington Open for Business

Aero Center Wilmington FBO at ILM

PRESS RELEASE JUNE 13, 2022

Wilmington, NC (KILM):  SAR Trilogy Management, LLC announces its Aero Center Wilmington (aka “AC-ILM”) full service fixed base operation (FBO) is open for business effective today.  

“Aero Center Wilmington will bring more aviation activity to ILM,” says S. Michael Scheeringa, founder and managing director of SAR Trilogy Management, LLC. “We saw an opportunity to grow with Wilmington. We have built a world-class facility and brought on an experienced local team. We financed the project with Wilmington-headquartered Live Oak Bank. The Aero Center Wilmington will reflect the aviation needs of the community.”

The first phase of Aero Center Wilmington consists of almost 100K sq ft of ramp space, new FBO and office space (11K sq ft), two hangars (10K and 15K sq ft totaling 25K sq ft), and a 50K gallon fuel farm (Jet-A, 100LL, plus GSE fuel). The hangar height can handle the largest business jet available in the market today. Aero Center Wilmington is located north of the taxiway Alpha and Hotel intersection and near the U.S. Customs office. For those driving, the address is 1830 Flightline Road.

Aero Center Wilmington’s service offerings for General Aviation include aircraft fueling, parking, hangar storage, and aircraft maintenance for both piston and turbine aircraft, as well as 24/7, 365 AOG/on-call maintenance support services for both general aviation and commercial airline customers. In addition, AC-ILM will support commercial airlines with fueling services.

Sanjay Aggarwal, a co-founder and managing director of SAR Trilogy, added, “We signed our lease two years ago and started development immediately. While the COVID-19 related supply chain and labor issues delayed our opening, we could not have asked for a more supportive partner than the team at Wilmington International Airport led by Jeffrey Bourk and the New Hanover County Airport Authority led by Donna Girardot. They have provided the right atmosphere to attract new business to the airport and community. We look forward to seeing the General Aviation business at ILM grow again, starting with returning tenants. All customers, general aviation, commercial airlines, and the military will benefit from the competition Aero Center Wilmington brings to the market.”   

About Aero Centers:

SAR Trilogy Management is creating a portfolio of locally managed and nationally recognized full-service FBOs with the umbrella brand Aero Centers™. So far, three Aero Centers have been announced – Wilmington, NC (ILM), Lakeland, FL (LAL), and Spokane, WA (GEG). Aero Centers will offer a full spectrum of general aviation services either themselves or through partnerships or tenant management. These services include a private terminal, aircraft parking, storage/hangar, Part 145 Certified Repair Station, aircraft management, charter broker, Part 135 charter operations, Part 141 flight school, and commercial into-plane service. In addition, each Aero Center will be known as a customer-centric private aviation expert to the community it serves.

Request a Charter quote

KCPR FBO Reservation
KILM FBO Reservation
KTLH FBO Reservation
KGEG FBO Reservation
KSFF FBO Reservation
KLAL FBO Reservation
KPDK FBO Reservation

Charter Contact

CALL 770-451-6715

Call or fill out the form below and a member of our charter team will be happy to reach out. 

Fly Your Way Program Inquiry

CALL 770-451-6715

Please share your information  below. A member of our management team will reach out to you.

Aircraft management inquiry

Charter & Aircraft Management

CALL 770-451-6715

Please share your information  below. A member of our management team will reach out to you.

FBO Reservation

Anticipated Services

Jeremy Epperson

“Jeremy is a true world-class leader in the aviation community,” said S. Michael Scheeringa, co-founder and managing director of SAR Trilogy Management.

His life-long passion for the industry and history of developing both people and markets made Jeremy the first and natural choice to lead Aero Centers.

Epperson started his aviation career in the United States Marine Corps, where he developed his leadership and passion to serve. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego, and is a commercial pilot with P135 experience. He has demonstrated his affection for the business with successful FBO leadership roles at Signature and Republic. 

Aero Centers will bring a level of professionalism and experience back to aviation communities,” added Jeremy Epperson. “Our FBOs demonstrate to the industry we are committed to first-class facilities with knowledgeable and experienced local team members with a passion for aviation. I am very excited to lead the team responsible for developing full-service FBOs and delivering customer-centric service to all aviation customers in a community. I had a vision for bringing passion, fun, and expertise back into aviation communities, just like it was 30 years ago. Aero Centers’ focus on full-service FBOs brings the dream to reality.

Jeremy Epperson

Sanjay Aggarwal

Aggarwal has over 25 years of experience in the aviation and hospitality industries. Aggarwal is a co-founder of SAR Trilogy Management. Previously until 2015, he was the CEO of Global Crew Logistics (GCL), a Miami-based travel management company specializing in the movements and accommodation of business aviation and cargo airlines’ flight crews. GCL doubled its EBITDA in a short two-year period under Aggarwal’s leadership. 

Between 2008 and 2013, Sanjay served as CEO of two commercial airlines in India – Spicejet (a private-equity-backed low-cost air carrier) and Kingfisher Airlines (a publicly listed full-service carrier). Under his leadership, Spicejet saw its first profitable year and increased its domestic market share from 7% to 12%. Prior to that, he served as COO of Flight Options LLC, one of the world’s largest operators of business jets. He and Scheeringa worked together to take Flight Options to profitability. 

Earlier, Sanjay worked in IT, strategy, financial planning and other roles at Marriott International and US Airways. He received his BS in Industrial Engineering from Nagpur University in India and his MS in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech. 

Sanjay Aggarwal is a co-founder of SAR Trilogy Management

MICHAEL SCHEERINGA

Scheeringa has almost 30 years of experience in general and commercial aviation as an operator and supplier. Scheeringa is a co-founder and managing director of SAR Trilogy Management, an aviation investment and management company. Before he founded SAR Trilogy in 2015, he was the President and CEO of BBA Aviation Flight Support, which comprised Signature Flight Support, the world’s leading FBO network, and ASIG, a leading operator of commercial aviation fueling services. Under his leadership, Signature grew from 85 to 124 global locations, almost doubled in revenue and tripled profit resulting in the company outperforming the market in 65 out of the last 72 months of Scheeringa’s tenure.

From 2004-2008, Scheeringa served as CEO of Flight Options LLC, one of the world’s largest operators of business jets. He was responsible for the turnaround of the business taking it from a negative 20% margin to a positive 5% margin. Prior to that he spent 13 years at US Airways in officer-level positions in network and operations planning and as the head of the company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries. 

Scheeringa received his BS in Transportation and Logistics Management from Arizona State University. Scheeringa was a board member of the Central Florida Expressway Authority. He is a Past Chairman of the National Air Transportation Association and a private pilot.

Michael Scheringa Founder of Aero Centers