Yingling Aviation

Still, Yingling has served lots of famous customers. Actors Kurt Russell, who owned a Conquest, Tom Selleck, a Cessna 210 owner, and the late Patrick Swayze have stopped in for fuel. Tom Cruise and Kirsty Alley have made appearances, as have actors Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, country singers Reba McIntyre and Martina McBride. Other noteworthy musicians have also stopped at Yingling, representing virtually every genre from rap (Kid Rock) to rhapsody (Wayne Newton). Actor Mickey Rooney and weatherman Willard Scott also visited Yingling and the singing group Aerosmith actually partied in the customer lounge with free popcorn while waiting for their airplane to be serviced. Yingling has always been customer service oriented. Whether it’s providing ground transportation, or going the extra mile to ensure that visitors feel welcome and well cared for, Yingling has earned a well-deserved reputation for satisfaction and its workers are close knit and supportive of each other, as well as their customers. In 1977, Yingling was given the distinction of being the first dealer authorized to sell Cessna’s new turboprop, the Cessna Conquest. Eventually another dozen firms were granted the opportunity, as well. When Cessna created an incentive program to stimulate sales of the new model, most of the Conquest dealers considered the goals unreachable, but Yingling not only surpassed their targets, they did it twice. Employees and their spouses were rewarded with a trip to Las Vegas. They enjoyed three days and two nights at the Flamingo Hilton resort. One employee even got married while he was there! Even incentive programs and creativity couldn’t stimulate sales enough to keep the 1980s from being a very challenging decade, however. In 1982, Jerry Vanier, a Salina businessman, purchased the operation. The growth and expansion of previous eras stalled as the entire general aviation industry endured a protracted period of hardship brought on by the onslaught of product liability litigations. Cessna quit producing its venerable line of single engine airplanes altogether and Conquest sales virtually dried up, as well. The company weathered the downturn for nearly a decade until an improving economy and the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994 stimulated business.

On January 1, 2000, Lynn Nichols purchased Yingling Aviation. In 2001 and 2002, Yingling began an extensive facilities renovation effort adding the popular Aviators Attic, a new Completions hangar (which accommodates the Caravan Oasis interior program) in 2005, and 9,000 square feet of hangar and office space for McCauley propeller overhaul and service in 2008, as well. In addition to a full-range of propeller services for business and personal aircraft, it also serves the US Department of Defense. In 2010, the shipping and receiving departments were expanded to accommodate additional parts inventory and enlarge and centralize tool cribs, as well. A new larger paint shop and two segregated battery rooms for testing and charging were also added.

In 2014, the company purchased a 10,000 square-foot warehouse to support their growing propeller operations. Factory authorized by McCauley, MT, Sensenich, and FAA approved Hartzell Propeller facility offers a full-range of services for its propeller customers.

Starting in 2018 thru 2020, Yingling began its largest multiple remodel and expansion projects since its company’s founding in 1946. In 2018, the first remodel project consisted of two new reception and lobby areas that support the FBO and customer areas. In 2019, the company completed a new 23,000 square-foot facility for expanded jet and turbine MRO services. And in 2020, Yingling completed its major facelift and renovation over its newly acquired 50,000 square-feet of facilities, which support their full-service paint facility, prep facility, and an interior facility. In 2021, the company purchased an additional 50,000 square-feet of facilities, to support jet and turbine MRO services, to include aircraft management services.

Today, the company’s footprint consists of over 300,000+ square-feet of facilities and approximately 500,000 square-feet of ramp space.