Updated 07/19/2012 08:27 PM
Charter company hired for Grand Prix helicopter traffic
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Formula 1 fanatics will have more than one way to get to the November race in Elroy.
On their recent trip to England to witness the British Grand Prix, Austin city leaders ran into one major problem on their first day overseas—traffic. Circuit of the Americas announced Wednesday that Georgetown-based Charlie Bravo Charters to handle charter flights and helicopter traffic to and from the race track.
The flight charter company expects to use about 20 helicopters to courier race fans from Austin Executive Airport and from San Marcos. Each trip should take about five minutes.
"Tons of crossover between us and the Formula One patron,” René Banglesdorf, Charlie Bravo Charters CEO, said. “A lot of our clients are coming in for the race, and it also gives us the opportunity to meet some new ones there."
Banglesdorf says commercial flights at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will not be affected by the dozens of helicopters flying nearby.
"They're changing the flight patterns a little bit,” she said. “We've been working quite a bit with the FAA and with Austin Bergstrom tower."
A new hanger was recently opened at Austin Executive Airport due to increased private charter traffic.