President of Celtic Air Services says airport in Stephenville is an ideal location

Dave Morgan says the plan is to get boots on the ground first and then collaborate with the town of Stephenville, partners as well as the provincial and federal governments.

The president of Celtic Air Services based in Cape Breton has high hopes and plans for the airport in Stephenville. Dave Morgan says his company can see the value in the facility and believes the asset is well positioned. The airport is privately owned by businessman Carl Dymond, who renamed the facility to the “Dymond International Airport,” however, it has now been downgraded to an aerodrome. Morgan says the plan is to get boots on the ground first and then collaborate with the town of Stephenville, partners as well as the provincial and federal governments. He says then they plan to expand on partnerships they already have with different carriers and groups that operate charter planes that would be interested in crossing the Atlantic. Morgan says they did speak with the airport’s owner Carl Dymond but were unfortunately able to come to a solution or dialogue so they decided to approach the town and levels of government.

Meanwhile, Stephenville Mayor Tom Rose says the airport has been getting a lot of attention over the past two or three years and he feels Dymond had wonderful plans for aviation projects but like many, had a challenge getting capital. 

Rose says for the last several years there has been no action moving forward on the airport and in the last month or so, there’s been a lot of talk about debt and the court system, not being able to make payroll and getting a notice to have the power shut off. Rose says wherever there’s adversity, there’s opportunity and this award winning company sees an opportunity in Stephenville. He’s hopeful there will be a solution that works for everybody.