The vision of a vertical flight facility in DeSoto is a reality thanks to a funding partnership between the City of DeSoto, DeSoto Economic Development Corporation, the Texas Department of Transportation, Aviation Division and fixed base operator, Sky Helicopters. They have partnered to construct the DeSoto Heliport. The official ribbon cutting and grand opening is scheduled for Wednesday, August 27, 2014 from 5 to 9pm. The DeSoto Heliport is located at 150 E. Danieldale Road, DeSoto, Texas.
The new facility includes a 23,225 sq. ft. terminal and public hangar and a 10,000 sq. ft. private hangar with plenty of public ramp area. It also features a helicopter self-serve fuel farm for both Jet A and 100LL customers.
Construction and operation of a public heliport in DeSoto’s Eagle Industrial Park will enhance the capability for additional economic development. Service providers that operate from this new vertical flight facility include public safety, emergency medical services, corporate businesses transport, commuters, emergency preparedness, broadcast news media, utility/pipeline patrol, flight training, sales and service of vertical flight aircraft and personal use.
The heliport will not only benefit the City of DeSoto as an economic and transportation entity but, also contribute to the growth of the aviation industry in the North Central Texas region. The aviation industry, according to a 2005 Texas Department of Transportation impact study, creates over 28,000 jobs, a $1.1 billion payroll and has a total economic impact of over $4.2 billion.
“The vision for a vertical flight facility in DeSoto is obviously long range and there are no guarantees, but we have positioned ourselves for the future as aviation expands to meet the needs of our entire regional transportation system which can never completely meet the demands as our population continues to grow,” according to former DeSoto Mayor and past chair of the North Texas Councils of Government Board of Directors, Bobby Waddle. “When the population in the North Central Texas Region expands from its current 6+ million to 9+ million in the next thirty years, aviation will play a major role in relieving some of the impact of our future mobility and air quality issues,” said Waddle.