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Pilots and airport users urge county to reconsider handling of Cubic FBO contract termination
Summary
Multiple aviation stakeholders told the board that the county's termination of Cubic's FBO contract was rushed and that the county should account for differences among FBOs, on‑site A&P maintenance gaps, and potential service impacts for business aviation at Sawyer Airport.
Doug Miller, a volunteer pilot with the UP‑based Angel Flight Organization, and Eric Sibley, director of aviation for BP Capital and an FAA A&P mechanic, addressed the board during public comment about the county’s November decision to end Cubic's fixed base operator (FBO) services at Sawyer.
Miller said he "was surprised to learn of the board's decision to terminate Cubic's FBO services contract" and urged more detailed review of what services were not being met and whether alternatives (such as bringing an A&P mechanic from Iron Mountain) could have addressed gaps.
Sibley provided comparative operations data and a business perspective. He said Sawyer has "just shy 18,000 operations" and contrasted that with smaller airports that do not staff FBOs full time. He warned of liability and business risk if the county is left with minimal staffing for fueling and ground handling, noting that multi‑million‑dollar business jets can be delayed and that delays can harm local business attraction.
Both speakers asked the board to examine the advisory and financial committee timelines cited in the termination and to ensure the county's decisions account for safety, staffing realities in the A&P labor market, and the scale of operations at Sawyer.
