National Aviation Day was Thursday, Aug. 19. The city government of Aurora announced a new multi-million-dollar investment that will take its municipal airport to new heights.
Mayor Richard C. Irvin of Aurora was host to an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Aurora Municipal Airport to celebrate the successful acquisition of the airport’s longtime fixed-base operator, Lumanair, by another leader in the aviation services industry.
After more than 60 years in aviation, Bob and Mike Luman have accepted an acquisition offer for Lumanair Aviation Services by Carver Aero, an Iowa-based diversified aviation services company. In addition to Lumanair, Carver Aero acquired ATS Illinois, an aircraft maintenance and servicing company that has operated at the Aurora Municipal Airport since 1992.
“It’s been a wonderful ride,” said Mike Luman. “Our dad started the business in 1960 at the former Aurora Airways Airport, south of Interstate 88 and west of Lake Street. We’ve had several offers over the years, but we were waiting for the right people and the right company to come along that would continue the legacy of our family. Carver Aero is that company.”
Owned by CL Enterprises, Carver Aero has fixed-base operations in Muscatine, Davenport, Council Bluffs, in Iowa, in Janesville, Wis., and now in Aurora. Carver Aero provides corporate and general aviation services, including charter flights, corporate pilot services, airplane maintenance, turbine, and jet engine maintenance and repairs, avionics, flight training, fuel services, and aircraft storage. CLE owns and invests in businesses in various industries, including farming, manufacturing, real estate development, hospitality, and aviation, focusing on economic development in smaller Midwestern towns.
“As a new tenant of the airport, we are honored by the welcome and trust we received from the city and existing businesses at the airfield,” said Peter Limberger, Co-founder and Chairman of CL Enterprises, the parent company of Carver Aero. “We will earn this trust, become good neighbors and contribute with our planned investments to the economic development of the airport and the City of Aurora.”
Carver Aero plans to engage high schools and colleges in the Aurora area to develop training programs for students interested in the aviation field.
Mayor Irvin led the celebration of this historic acquisition and Luman and Limberger shared additional information about the significance of the deal and what it means to the greater Aurora community.
“This is an aviation, economic, and educational gamechanger,” said Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin. “We always tell our youth to fly high, and on National Aviation Day, we launched the process for them to have greater access to literally do just that.”
– Aurora city government