NetJets and aviation services provider Vantage Aviation are developing an exclusive-use terminal and aircraft hangar at Rifle Garfield County Airport (RIL) in Colorado. The facility is expected to open by early 2027, ahead of the planned closure of Aspen airport.
The project will give NetJets a dedicated facility at Rifle, which is being positioned as an alternative gateway for business aviation serving Colorado’s mountain destinations. The development includes a 6,000sq ft (557sq m) private terminal and a hangar intended to protect NetJets aircraft from winter conditions.
Dedicated facilities at Rifle
The terminal is planned to include a lounge with mountain views and natural materials reflecting the surrounding landscape. The hangar and terminal form part of a wider investment by Vantage Aviation at the airport, where the company is also developing a new fixed-base operator (FBO) and hangar campus.
Vantage Aviation’s FBO and hangar campus is scheduled to open in mid-December. The company said the NetJets facility would be complementary to that development, creating an additional business aviation presence at Rifle.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with NetJets to open their new exclusive-use facility at Rifle Garfield County Airport. This investment is highly complementary to Vantage Aviation’s new FBO and hangar campus, which is scheduled to open in mid-December, and further reinforces Rifle as a premier gateway to Colorado’s mountain destinations.”
The statement was made by Ryan Maxfield, CEO of Vantage Aviation. The facility’s planned opening comes as operators prepare for the effects of the planned Aspen airport closure, although the extracted announcement does not provide a closure date or details of the works involved.
Part of wider NetJets terminal programme
Patrick Gallagher, president of NetJets Aviation, said the project was intended to support the operator’s aircraft and customers at Rifle.
“This new exclusive-use facility at Rifle Garfield County Airport, developed alongside Vantage Aviation, supports seamless travel with the privacy and personalized attention our owners know and value.”
The Rifle project follows earlier NetJets announcements concerning exclusive-use terminal developments at Dallas Love Field, Washington Dulles and West Palm Beach. The projects indicate a focus on dedicated ground infrastructure alongside NetJets’ aircraft operations, with facilities designed for the company’s customers and aircraft.
| Project | Location | Facility | Expected timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| NetJets and Vantage Aviation exclusive-use development | Rifle Garfield County Airport (RIL), Colorado | 6,000sq ft terminal and aircraft hangar | Early 2027 |
- The terminal is being developed for exclusive use by NetJets.
- The hangar is designed to protect aircraft from winter conditions.
- Vantage Aviation’s wider FBO and hangar campus is scheduled to open in mid-December.
