Gateway Jets Building New Facility at St. Louis Downtown Airport

By Carmelo Turdo 

Gateway Jets, the St. Louis area's premier aircraft management company, has broken ground and started construction on a new corporate hangar on the west side of St. Louis Downtown Airport. After many months of planning, a hangar and apron foundation are now ready for gravel delivery and the pouring of concrete during this warm weather spell. Construction will continue as much as possible throughout the next few months, with a spring grand opening planned. 

The Aero Experience met with Corey Tomczak, Founder and President of Gateway Jets, for an update on the project. We surveyed the site and discussed the future of Gateway Jets at this new, central location where a portion of the managed aircraft fleet will reside.

The Gateway Jets hangar is designed to accommodate five managed Citation jets. The structure will measure 140' X 95' with a 100' bi-fold door. The accompanying apron is 80 feet with access to the existing taxi lane, which will be widened. The nearby fence and gate will be moved back 30 feet toward the street to provide the necessary wingtip clearance as the jets taxi in and out. Gateway Jets clients will have a 10' x 10’ private entrance door from the street for secure indoor vehicle parking. Inside amenities will include a utility area, conference room, kitchen, bathrooms, a shower and a waiting area with access to the apron. 

The new corporate hangar complex will consolidate aircraft operations while improving client comfort and access to their aircraft. Crews will also have a central flight operations center for more efficient flight planning and logistics support.

Corey Tomczak started Gateway Jets in 2013 to provide personalized aircraft management services to the St. Louis market. Now with ten aircraft under contract, the company is the largest of its kind in the metropolitan area. Gateway Jets specializes in the Cessna Citation series, a proven design that offers an efficient and effective aircraft model for each client's mission. Gateway Jets also manages other aircraft, including the TBM line of turboprops.

Getting the best value from your aircraft, and also running your own business, is not always feasible. That is where Gateway Jets can help. Corey Tomczak and his staff can expertly guide new owners, upgrade clients through the acquisition process and manage the aircraft's operation, crewing, maintenance and regulatory compliance.

“Gateway Jets is a company designed to give the client the best experience of owning an aircraft at a reasonable cost," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. "Our business is to provide a mission-ready, safe, clean aircraft while looking out for our client's best interests. We take care of the whole operation so that they can just arrive and fly knowing that their aircraft is in good hands. Leave the fine details up to us. Your only job is to arrive and fly.

“When our clients sign up for Gateway Jets, we offer flexibility, especially in the way that it’s staffed," Tomczak continued. "Since we specialize in the Citation Family, as long as they have a Citation, right off the bat, they have access to six captains right from the get-go. I’ve been flying the CJ Series for sixteen years now and managing them for ten, and I’ve really become an expert in what it takes to make this a safe operation. And we know which shops specialize in certain aspects of maintenance and we can go there when it’s needed.”

The Aero Experience will post regular updates as the construction of the Gateway Jets hangar continues. For more on the Cessna Citation Family of aircraft, see our previous series: Citation CJ Line Brings Comfort and Efficiency to Business Jet Travel, Parts 1,2,3,4