KMYF ~ Gibbs Flying Service

av8trxx

Well-Known Member
End of an Era....

For all you others from around this neck of the woods, you will probably be just a schocked as I am, but after 68 years as Montgomerys best known FBO, Gibbs Flying Service will be closing their doors on May 31st 2005. The city has decided not to renew their lease.

The company was started in 1937 when Bill Gibbs moved his pilot training business including a Lincoln Page and Taylor Cub to his newly acquired airport site on Kearny Mesa just north of downtown San Diego. After clearing the brush for two dirt runways he named his airport Gibbs Field. In 1948, after many improvements and use during early WWII as a training field by the CPT program, Gibbs Field was acquired by the City of San Diego via imminent domain condemnation. The intent was to relocate Lindbergh there, but it never happened.
In 1950 it was renamed Montgomery Field. Probably 90% of MYFs pilot trained through Gibbs or the flying clubs based there.The business is still run by the family and over the past several years they have been trying to negotiate with the city for improvements. Apparently the city had other plans and in June will take over all hangar, tiedown and offices currently run by the Gibbs family. After seven decades, they will now be forced to close their doors....

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What do they plan to put in there? I don't get it. If you've got a rent paying lease holder who's been around for a long time, why not keep them around?

I wonder if there will be enough outcry to get the city to let them stay. Enough letters to the council and mayor -- especially with the disputed election -- might do the trick.
 
Whoa! Gibbs has been around forever! I would be sad to see them go. I used to go there all the time for airplane rental - people there were really nice.
 
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I'm sure AOPA is going to do something!

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I'm not sure that they will. I think that AOPA gets involved in airport closures, not necessarily in protecting private businesses.

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But Im sure Gibbs has such a large impact on GA that they would do something. Why is the city wanting to take over?
 
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Why is the city wanting to take over?

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Revenues, probably.

The uglier scenario is closure of the airport for commercial redevelopment, which was pitched to the city supervisors not long ago.
 
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