Airport Business Solutions

Airport Business Solutions, known as ABS, lists its corporate headquarters at 131 Hollybrook Drive in Flat Rock, North Carolina, with additional offices in Tampa, Florida and Denver, Colorado. The firm says it was founded in 1988 to provide specialized valuation and consulting services to the aviation industry, at a time when few real estate or financial professionals could analyze airport-based properties and aviation businesses. It reports supporting projects at more than 1,700 airports worldwide. Michael A. Hodges, MAI, is president and chief executive officer, with Roberta Thompson, C.A.E., and Randy D. Bisgard as executive vice presidents.

For aviation businesses, ABS offers valuation of leaseholds, going-concern businesses and equipment, along with market and operational assessments, FBO business plans, start-up assistance, buyer and seller representation, acquisition due diligence, lease negotiation, financing alternatives, fuel farm development, RFP response development, line service training, general aviation safety and security audits, and litigation support with expert testimony. For airport sponsors it prepares minimum standards and rules and regulations, reviews rates and charges, produces market rent studies and general aviation business plans, and supports lease negotiation and RFP development.

ABS Aviation Management, a sister company, supplies experienced managers and staff to run FBOs under contract on an interim or long-term basis. The situations it lists include airports bringing an FBO in-house after a lease expires, airports that want to outsource management while keeping the revenue, and privately held FBOs that want a change in management. ABS does not name clients or publish fees on its site.