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business is up across the industry, but manufacturers and subcontrac- tors can’t keep up with the volume of business.” That was 21 years ago. Not much has changed.
Solving problems, though, was Ste- phenson’s specialty. In the 1950s, he made a name for himself by being the only available in the area who could effectively manage Gulfstream’s com- puterized maintenance management system for its G-1 turboprop execu- tive transport. The Martin company’s chief pilot brought him onboard spe- cifically for that purpose since Ste- phenson had the necessary expertise following his days in the Air Force. What they didn’t tell Frank was that Martin’s other corporate aircraft were converted experimental flight test platforms for Martin’s 202 and 404 airliner programs. Without standard airworthiness certificates for these aircraft, Stephenson had to create maintenance plans and found that he had to beg, borrow or steal parts from the factory when needed. This type of innovative mentality went into the creation of Skytech, Inc.
It was in 1976 that Frank Stephen- son officially opened the doors of Skytech located in the tower build- ing at Martin State Airport, initially supporting parts development and manufacturing in an old hangar that once supported the B-26 production line. That same hangar then became a maintenance hub for the company, and they were designated an FAA- certified repair station the follow- ing year in 1977.
The 1980s were once again a time of change and progression for Skytech. The company saw a need for aircraft sales in the region and hired the man to lead them into a new era. John Foster, who had gained experience working in every facet of the business, took over as presi- dent. At this time, Skytech expanded from its role in Cessna single-engine sales to include the entire lineup from Piper, including its newest PA-46 Malibu in 1984.
The next decade was no less excit- ing. In 1992, Skytech expanded its Cessna sales to include the Caravan
turboprop single. The following year it was awarded a distributorship for the world-renowned Pilatus PC-12 turboprop, a relationship that has proven successful to this day.
As the new millennium rolled around, Skytech continued to expand its operations into new areas, this time by opening a new FBO service at Rock Hill, South Carolina (UZA), part of the Charlotte, North Carolina, metro area. The company also started providing maintenance services there.
By the end of the 2000s, more change was in the works as Sky- tech outgrew the Martin State Air- port. They chose to move to the Carroll County Regional Airport (DMW) in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area on August 31, 2009.
The new facilities at the Carroll County location include a 5,100 runway with WAAS approach- es and a new 22,000 sq. ft. mainte- nance and FBO facility dedicated solely to Skytech’s customers. Sky- tech also boasts one of the only dedi- cated aircraft sales showrooms east of the Mississippi River. They still keep an administrative presence at Martin State, but Carroll County is now their Baltimore-area home from a customer perspective.
The launch of the Pilatus PC-24 “super versatile jet” took place at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exposition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2013, and Skytech was appointed a dealer for this exciting new product. “We al- ways wondered what Pilatus could possibly build next after setting the bar so high [with the PC-12]. And now we know an airplane that does the same things with an even larger cab- in, longer range, and more payload while displaying unheard-of short- field performance. And it retains that flat floor and massive cargo door. So here comes the PC-24 – and all the expectations associated with a jet air- craft built with Swiss precision at an airport surrounded by the Alps. This is going to be good,” said John Foster. Pilatus PC-24 deliveries started in 2018. Skytech officially became an
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November 2022 / TWIN & TURBINE • 19