By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
In July 2020, the City of Great Bend entered an agreement with P&N
Flight and Charter, out of Iowa, to serve as the city’s Fixed-Base Operator
(FBO). The FBO provides retail sales of aviation fuels, ramp parking, hangar
storage in the main hangar and aviation repair services.
P&N has had no presence at the airport for several months. The payments and
fuel purchases are now coming from Coulson Corporation. A lack of communication
and presence by P&N has caused concern, according to City Attorney Allen
Glendenning.
"The same guy that owns P&N has created another corporation called Coulson Corporation, which is who is now providing the FBO services of paying the rent and buying jet fuel," said Glendenning. "The contract says P&N cannot assign that to someone else with your (council) permission.
Cole Norton is the owner of P&N and Coulson Corporation. A purchase
agreement was drafted to sell Norton’s interest in Coulson Corporation to Ryan
and Ashley Coulson. However, Norton has stopped communicating and the agreement
has not been completed.
"What I think may be happening, from the information we have, is that the idea was for P&N to transfer this FBO to the guy that is doing all the work out there, Mr. Coulson," said Glendenning.
The Great Bend City Council approved a motion for the city attorney to send a
letter to Norton and P&N asking what his intentions are and requesting that
he formally assign the FBO agreement.