Prestwick Airport welcomed Susan Wilson, the Principal Officer of the US Consulate General in Edinburgh, as it looked at the historical ties between the airport and the United States and its hopes to build on these links in the future.

Ron Smith, Glasgow Prestwick Airport Chief Executive officer, and other members of the airport’s executive team took the opportunity to take the US representative on a tour of the airport.

Taking a look at the links that the airport currently has with the United States, the team spoke about the airport’s military aviation services. It also highlighted its prime position on the great circle route – half way between the United States and the Middle East – which makes it an ideal fuelling stop for other kinds of aviation, including cargo.

The airport also services a number of private aviation customers who travel between the United States and United Kingdom.

Speaking about why he wanted to welcome the US Consulate General to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Ron Smith said: “There are a number of synergies between Glasgow Prestwick Airport’s activities and US Government and business interests in the United Kingdom. We wanted to bring these to the fore and we felt that there was no better way to do so than by welcoming the US Government’s representative in Scotland to the airport.

“We are looking to develop a profitable, sustainable and balanced business, which offers a range of aviation services. This includes military aviation and hopefully space launches. The US could be a major customer, facilitator and partner for these business areas. We wanted to ensure that they know what we have on offer here.

“We were delighted that Ms Wilson was able to come and we very much hope to continue the conversations we have started.”

In addition to these business areas, there are links with the US and NASA. It is one of the airports used for health checks and rehabilitation of astronauts on their return from the International Space Station.

As part of the visit, Ms Wilson visited the Mission Discovery Ayrshire event at Ayrshire College, where secondary school students liased with astronauts and other space and engineering industry professionals – including representatives from NASA – to develop experiments that could be implemented on for the International Space Station.

And Smith added: “The potential for Glasgow Prestwick Airport to become the UK and Europe’s first spaceport is one area of our business that we would like to work more closely with organisations from the United States on.

"We wanted to take the US Consulate General to the Mission Discovery event to show that the aspirations for Scotland to be a world player in space go beyond the airport. It is a key focus for educational establishments and young people in the local community.”

Talking about the tour and the opportunity to meet with the team at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Susan Wilson, said: “My visit to Glasgow Prestwick Airport was most informative and I thank CEO Ron Smith and his team for giving me a tour of their site.

"I was well aware of the historic partnership Glasgow Prestwick has with our military, and it was valuable for my colleagues and me to learn how the airport would like to continue their relationship with the United States into the future.”