The private jet terminal of LF Wade International airport has new operators as Universal Aviation Bermuda Ltd has opened and welcomed their first two flights yesterday.Universal Aviation, the ground-support division of Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc, based out of Houston, Texas, is a full-service fixed based operator exclusively focused on business-aviation traffic at the private jet terminal, which hosts nearly 3,000 executive jet arrivals per year.The company, which currently has a staff of 12 full-time employees, features on-site customs and immigration, a dedicated fuel truck, 130,000-square-feet ramp parking, fully equipped lounges, and conference rooms.Additionally, all ground support employees are certified by the National Air Transportation Association’s Safety 1st Professional Line Service Training programme.Universal Aviation Bermuda’s local partner is Herman Tucker of HCT Limited. The company will be run by Sheldon Steede, who was formerly a vice-president with Sovereign Flight Support. Mr Steede will oversee the 100 percent Bermudian staff.According to Jorge Alva, the director of operations for the parent company who is in Bermuda to oversee the official opening, the aviation firm is ready for business.“We’re very excited and we expect to get a lot of aircraft,” he said, adding that as they ramp up operations, they are looking to add staff. “That’s our hope. Business aviation is very important to the industries here, like insurance.”The private jet terminal has been embroiled in past legal wrangles when the Government landed in hot water with Bermuda Aviation Services (BAS), the previous incumbent operator, after introducing competition for the operation of the facility.In 2008, a licence was handed to Sovereign Group but it later emerged BAS already had exclusive rights for the same services until 2014.A Supreme Court hearing found in favour of BAS, with Government ordered to pay the company $2 million for loss of revenue caused by the breach of its exclusive rights.The Ministry of Transport decided in 2009 not to renew the licence of Sovereign when it expired in June 2009.The building has sat redundant since February 2010 prior to Universal Aviation Bermuda being awarded the contract in which they paid a $1 million settlement for its long-term lease.Under the new operators, the private jet terminal will also feature complete concierge services for all on-island needs, including hotel accommodations, catering, and ground transportation. There is also a passenger and crew lounge, conference room with seating for up to ten and Wi-Fi throughout the facility.“Whether operators are taking advantage of Bermuda’s strategic geographic location as a tech stop, or making the Island their final destination, we will continue to provide the level of service customers are used to around the world,” said Adolfo Aragon, senior vice-president, Universal Aviation.“With on-site customs and immigration and our own dedicated fuel truck, operators will have no need to travel to the main terminal or wait behind commercial traffic for fuel, allowing us to accommodate quick-turn tech stops with the highest degree of safety and efficiency.”