Kansas City’s Downtown Airport—better known today as Wheeler Field (MKC)—has long served as the discreet gateway for private jets, business travelers, and high-end corporate aviation. Now, its final undeveloped 20 acres are being transformed, and two African-American developers are at the center of it.
Airside Innovation Missouri LLC—a joint venture that includes Kansas City native Erik Murray, Wichita-born aviation leader Kerry Gooch, and partner Kyle Eiserer—has been selected by the Kansas City Aviation Department to develop the airport’s last major piece of land. The $55 million project, approved unanimously by the Kansas City Council, will create a next-generation fixed base operation (FBO), new hangars, and an aviation training hub—marking one of the most significant Black-led aviation developments in the region’s recent history.
A Historic Site, a New Purpose
Located just minutes from downtown, Wheeler Airport was once Kansas City’s original municipal airport. But in recent decades it has become a preferred destination for corporate jets, high-end private aviation, and general aviation pilots who want immediate access to the urban core.
This rare 20-acre plot is the airport’s final space left for development. For Murray and Gooch, leading its transformation is both a business milestone and a statement about representation in industries—and locations—where African-American leadership has been rare.
Project Lima: A New FBO and Aviation Campus
Known internally as Project Lima, the development includes:
- A state-of-the-art 15,000-square-foot FBO terminal operated by Apex Aero Center
- More than 150,000 square feet of new hangar, office, and shop space
- Expanded aviation services for business, government, and general aviation
- A community-focused design centered on workforce development
Apex Aero Center, led by partner Kyle Eiserer, is already well known in the region for award-winning aviation services. But it’s the partnership with Murray and Gooch—and what that represents for Kansas City’s future—that is drawing attention.
A Home for Red Tail Academy
Perhaps the most meaningful part of the project is its role in expanding Red Tail Academy, the Kansas City-based aviation nonprofit that Gooch co-founded with airline captain Greg Bolden to train young African Americans for piloting, mechanical, and aviation careers.
The academy, named in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, will be housed within the new development—providing classrooms, training space, and direct access to an active airfield.
“This project aligns world-class aviation facilities with long-term opportunities for Kansas City youth,” Murray said. “By expanding Red Tail’s programs at the Downtown Airport, we’re helping ensure young people—especially those historically underrepresented in aviation—have a real pathway into high-paying technical and piloting careers.”
A Legacy Continued
For Gooch, the project carries deep personal meaning. He is a private pilot following in the aviation footsteps of his father Kerry Gooch and grandfather, U.L. “Rip” Gooch, a pioneering Wichita pilot and businessman who operated the Aero Service FBO at Wichita’s municipal airport during the 1960s and ’70s. Rip Gooch later became a Kansas state senator and one of the region’s most influential Black aviators.
Now, his grandson is helping to create the next great Kansas City aviation hub.
Erik Murray’s Rising Development Footprint
Partner Erik Murray has been rapidly building a regional reputation as a developer capable of reshaping major civic sites. His firm, Eastside Innovation, is also leading the Midtown Station redevelopment at the long-abandoned Indian Springs site in Kansas City, Kansas—a massive mixed-use project designed to bring new life to eastern Wyandotte County.
At Wheeler Airport, Murray brings commercial development expertise that complements Gooch’s aviation background.
“This is the next generation of aviation—sustainable, community-connected, and designed to elevate the traveler experience,” Murray said.
A Project Rooted in Community Impact
In addition to Gooch and Murray, the Project Lima team includes multiple local Black architects, engineers, and construction partners—ensuring that the economic impact of the development reaches deeper into Kansas City’s diverse professional community.
Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with completion targeted for 2027.
A Rare Landmark Moment
Black leadership at this scale—in this industry, at this location—is historic. Wheeler is Kansas City’s front door for high-end air travelers, CEOs, entertainers, and dignitaries. Now, its future is being guided by two African-American aviation leaders with deep Kansas roots and a vision for making the industry more inclusive.
For Murray, Gooch, and their partners, this project represents more than new hangars and a gleaming terminal. It’s a chance to open doors—literally and figuratively—for a new generation of Black aviators and aviation professionals.