As we wrap up February and Valentine’s month, we wanted to take a minute to appreciate a love story that started right here at Albert Whitted Airport. 

Long before Cheyenne and Ronald fell in love, the Methot family name was already a presence at Albert Whitted Airport. Humble beginnings, small circles, and a touch of kismet brought it all together. In the 1970s, Ronald’s father, Ron Methot, built his life at Albert Whitted — from pumping fuel to owning Bay Air Flight School and St. Pete Flying Service, the airport’s FBO. Even today, mention Albert Whitted around town, and someone is bound to say, “Oh, you know Ron? I took my first flying lesson at Bay Air!”

His son, Ronald, grew up at the airport. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, he remembers Albert Whitted from the time he was five years old. He also fueled planes, learned how to fly, and developed a fondness for the race cars that visited during the Grand Prix. In his twenties, he would discover another reason to love the airport.

Enter Cheyenne, a Maryland native, who had joined the Hangar Restaurant staff as a waitress then bartender. Her sister had worked there before her, and knowing it was a busy tourist destination, Cheyenne fit right in with her friendly, welcoming presence.

Just downstairs at the FBO, Ronald was with St. Pete Flying Service. Mingling within the same circles, it didn’t take long for their paths to cross in October 2011, and the connection was effortless. A few years later, Ronald chose Valentine’s Day to propose, and in March 2013, they were married.

As Cheyenne and Ronald built their family, another partnership was taking shape. Ronald and his father began laying the early foundation for Tampa Bay Air Charter (TBAC).

In 2017, TBAC took its first flight. The family-owned and operated air charter company, based at Albert Whitted Airport, was built from the ground up. Ronald personally laid the tile in the in-hangar office. After Hurricane Irma, that office was the only place with power, offering a respite for a young couple, their toddler, cat, and a puppy. It was a home away from home, a small but significant company with a handful of pilots, two pristine turboprops, and Ronald serving as manager and owner. 

Ron Methot Sr. and Ronald Methot of Tampa Bay Air Charter.

Today, when you see a Pilatus on the ramp, there’s a good chance it’s TBAC transporting happy visitors and residents to and from sunny St. Pete. At the Grand Prix, when you’re watching cars speed by, you might spot (hopefully the fastest) racecar sporting the TBAC logo. Also, among the team is Robert, one of their youngest line pilots, who was actually served his first legal drink by Cheyenne at the Hangar Restaurant for a full circle moment. 

Cheyenne and Ronald both found their own family here. There’s no pressure for the next generation to continue in aviation, though. Their daughter, Emma, is free to be anything she wants someday, but for now, she helps with little TBAC tasks: restocking snacks, buckling seatbelts, and learning the rhythm of the airport the same way her parents and grandfather have. 

Emma enjoys an airplane ride with a view of the St. Pete skyline.

While the family has grown and much has changed at the airport, some things remain the same.

Has the FBO where they first met changed much? Ronald and Cheyenne will shrug and joke, “It’s red now.” St. Pete Flying Service is no longer there, replaced by Sheltair’s red branding. At the Hangar Restaurant, Cheyenne remembers when the windsock first went up. Some neon signs have changed, there’s new paint here and there, but the bones are all the same. The real growth and change live in the people and families of Albert Whitted.

Then and now — from New Year’s Eve 2011 to February 2026, Cheyenne and Ronald at the Hangar Restaurant, where their love story first took off.

February 2026

Nisuka Williams