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Paso Robles City Council’s decision will cost community millions

October 12, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

For three years, the British Royal Air Force conducted training exercises at the Paso Robles Municipal Airport, an activity that brought approximately $3 million annually to the local economy. Scheduled to return to the Central Coast in Jan. 2025, the group now plans to conduct their training from San Luis Obispo.

The former fixed based operator at the Paso Robles airport, ACI Jet, courted several military groups to conduct trainings and operations at the Paso Robles airport, actions that brought approximately $6 million a year to the local economy.

The 80 to 100 British Royal Air Force troops stayed at area hotels and spent money locally during their two to three week training on the Central Coast.

Earlier this year, the Paso Robles City Council voted 3-1, with Chris Bausch dissenting, to select Loyds Aviation over ACI Jet as the city’s fixed based operator. Those in favor of  Loyds, which is based in Bakersfield, noted they had a superior mechanics team and were a better cultural fit with the city.

However, mutiple members of the hospitality industry spoke in favor of ACI Jet and its ability to generate hospitality revenue.

Noreen Martin said that the owners of ACI Jet have generational ties to the community. She also reminded the council that when the previous company working concessions at the airport went belly up, it was ACI Jet that stepped in and provided fuel for firefighters and air ambulances.

The council then voted for Loyds Aviation. Several council members said the British Royal Air Force would continue conducting training operations at the Paso Robles airport regardless of who they selected for fixed based operator.

However, in Jan. 2025, the British Royal Air Force will conduct their training operations from the SLO County Airport where ACI Jet is the fixed base operator.

 


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Oh Paso.

Missing in the article is where Paso said that the Bako company is “culturally” a better fit.

Good ole conservative Paso chumming up with conservative Bako.

Hey Paso. Most people are not political to a fault.


0

Paso is a much more suitable airport for this training than SLO, so you have ask yourself, why move? Because of the dysfunctional Paso city council. The Royal Air Force wants to be at a competently managed airport.


13

The sad part is the City Council members don’t care about private industry unless they can benefit.


34

I have used the services of both bidders for the Paso Robles FBO, both are quality organizations. However after reading both proposals I am at a loss as to how the City Council did not afford ACI to continue to service Paso Robles Airport.


48

Weather “military training” or “paid working vacation” does not appear to be relevant to the City. Both would probably appear the same to a hospitality vendor observer.


The thing I find suspicious is why the City changed fixed base operators in the first place. A “better cultural fit” seems to have a discriminatory tone about it, and sounds made up to cover an otherwise skeptial act.


46

“better cultural fit’ means Bakersfield, not San Luis Obispo. Paso is willing to give up airport improvements and the military training deal to make this point.


12

Having been assigned to various bases during a 20 year DoD military career, many of them involved in the very activity discussed in this article, why would they train out of Paso Robles? Or even San Luis Obispo?


Notwithstanding the safety issues associated with flight training in general, but this locality does not lend to “lowest bidder*…


We have ongoing joint training with various foreign militaries at many US bases, and bases overseas, this has nothing to do with “military training “, paid “working” vacation looks more the story here.


Maybe this is why we have so many “roundabouts ” now…


-27

Do you do any research? Did you talk to anybody? I spent about 10 minutes research and the RAF finds this a safe for parachute training. Did you know that before you made accusations of this being a paid vacation. If Michael Rivera and Linda George were on the City Council this would have never happened. Again, Gregory Hamon and Roden make another sucky decision. At least maybe we can get rid of Gregory and Roden,


19

They say 99% of the world’s problems are associated with communication, this appears to be no exception…


Consider the statement in your response to my post, “RAF finds this a safe for parachute training.”. RAF is the “Royal Air Force”, training in Paso Robles, whereas typically, “Joint Forces” training is typically conducted on a US military installation, ie, Fort Bliss, Edwards AFB, what have you…


WHY is the RAF conducting training in Paso Robles, or San Luis Obispo, for that matter? Additionally, conducting training independently of US military oversight?


Familiar with non-linear systems? Small inputs yield large outputs (see: Andijan, Uzbekistan 2005). I don’t care who authorized it or did not, personally, I would consider this activity here a MASSIVE problem, for MANY reasons,…


Are there no places to safely conduct parachute training in the UK? If the RAF would like to conduct parachute training in the US, I’m sure there are PLENTY of military installations stateside with which to pursue this…


-9

The RAF boys jump at Ft Hunter-Liggett. However, while the dirt airfield there can accommodate a C-130, and likely an A-400, there are no ground based flight operations available there. No fuel, no hangar, no storage, no packing shed, and like all good Air Force personnel, the aircrew is NOT going to stay in the barracks.


I am a former ACI-Jet employee, and worked at the SLO FBO. I have worked alongside the RAF crews and Soldiers many times over the years.


So, no. This is NOT a “paid vacation” for these men. Ft H-L has terrain features and weather conditions unlike any other jump accessible Post or Base in the USA or Britain. These are SOF Para’s, and require training not available in other places. While they are here, they also work with our SOF teams.


Paso airport provided ground based support. SLO airport provided ground based support, and over night accommodations. Now, Paso loses not only the payments to the airport, but more than a few rooms at the Paso Inn, and Paso restaurants lose revenue too.


ACI-Jet bent over backwards to please Paso, and got kicked in the teeth for it. Remember that when you vote the next City Council.


33

See Linda Becker’s letter in today’s 10/14 Paso Robles Daily News. Like to see a response to that as well as source of the dollar figures benefitting the economy.


-2