FlyUSA has opened a 50,000-square-foot hangar at Tampa International Airport, establishing a larger base for its aircraft and maintenance operations. The private aviation company announced the opening on October 12, saying the facility combines hangar space, dedicated ground services and a private lounge for aircraft owners.
The north-side facility can accommodate approximately 20 aircraft, depending on the mix of sizes, according to Tampa Bay Business and Wealth. A specialized tail door is designed to accept aircraft as large as a Boeing 737. The hangar can also accommodate large business jets including the Gulfstream G700 and Bombardier Global 7500.
FlyUSA says 20 of its 30 aircraft in the region are now based at the site. Tampa becomes its primary maintenance location and is expected to support approximately 30 employees. Chief executive Barry Shevlin said the additional space would help the company expand its management of larger aircraft.
An ownersβ base with dedicated ground services
The new lounge is reserved for FlyUSA aircraft owners and includes individual lockers and a conference room. Charter passengers will continue to use traditional fixed-base operator facilities, TBBW reported. The distinction matters for customers arranging a flight: the new owner amenities do not change the published arrival and departure arrangements for charter clients.
FlyUSA employees will fuel and move aircraft at the hangar. The company says its north-side location, away from Tampa Internationalβs two existing fixed-base operators, required that more self-sufficient arrangement. Its facilities management team also supports Clearwater Executive Airport, and FlyUSA said experience gained there helped it establish the ground-handling capabilities needed at Tampa.
Infrastructure for an expanding management business
The opening follows a broader move beyond charter brokerage. In an August 31 interview with Aviation Week, Shevlin said brokerage accounted for about half of FlyUSAβs revenue, with aircraft management, charter and maintenance contributing the remainder. He described plans to add roughly two aircraft each quarter and evaluate acquisitions of smaller operators. Those were growth intentions at the time of the interview, rather than completed fleet additions announced with the Tampa opening. He also identified higher maintenance expenses, hangar costs and fixed-base operator charges as pressures on the business, alongside tighter availability of newer used aircraft.
FlyUSAβs aircraft-management service covers crew, maintenance, scheduling, compliance and financial reporting for aircraft operated under Part 91 and Part 135. It also offers acquisition support, including identifying aircraft and evaluating purchasing opportunities. That range of services explains why a maintenance base sits alongside the companyβs charter and ownership activities.
In the same August interview, Shevlin described development of Fusion OS, a technology platform intended to connect trip management, maintenance, flight operations and invoicing. That work provides further background to the companyβs effort to bring more of its operating functions together.
Lakeland remains a future project
FlyUSA is also planning another 50,000-square-foot hangar in Lakeland, where it holds a ground lease. TBBW reported that the facility could open in late 2028 or early 2029 and would likely handle longer maintenance checks. Tampa would remain the main maintenance and aircraft-owner base. The Lakeland timetable is a prospective expansion plan, separate from the Tampa facility now in use.
Image: AI-generated conceptual illustration of a business-aviation hangar, not a photograph of FlyUSAβs Tampa facility.
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