The skies around Manteca are about to see more big jets.
Air Transport International is making Stockton Metro Airport its base to serve the lucrative Bay Area/Northern California market starting Feb. 1.
The cargo firm has a fleet of 767 200SF and 767  300SF jets as well as 757-200  Combis whose main deck has the ability to transport up to 42 passengers and 10 full cargo positions of freight at the same time. They have a full blown flight service for passengers including two lavatories and a galley.
With more than 20 years in the business the Texas-based firm handles emergency one-time charters to long-term scheduled shipping programs. They also handle government and military contracts, long-term contract services with other airlines and logistics organizations as well as racehorse and other high value animal transportation.
ATI initially will operate in a temporary 15,000-square-foot sprung-open sided  structure that is similar to a tent on the ramp adjacent to where the aircraft will park. They will also make use of available distribution center lease space near the airport.
They will lease office space in the terminal building. Thirty ground handlers will work at the ramp seven days a week.
Stockton Airport is 10 miles from downtown Manteca via Airport Way or Highway 99.

Major healthcare
Investment in
Manteca ready
Doctors Hospital of Manteca is opening a new $7 million, 6,000-square-foot state-of-the-art outpatient surgical center
The Tenet Healthcare investment promises to “change the face of care” for the Manteca-Ripon-Lathrop community.  It includes three operating rooms and two procedure rooms.
The Manteca Chamber of Commerce is helping celebrate the opening of the surgical center at 1134 Norman Drive with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, Feb. 11, at 5:30 p.m. It is next to the hospital’s Imaging Center and Central Valley Cancer Center on Norman Drive off of Spreckels Avenue. 
The opening of the  outpatient surgical center will free up the existing operating rooms at the main hospital campus at North Street and Cottage Avenue for inpatient procedures. It also is expected to shorten the time as well to book an outpatient procedure.
There were 3,400 surgeries performed on 2014 at the hospital — an increase of 20 percent over the previous year.  That is in addition to 32,000 outpatient procedures, 33,000 emergency room visits, and 3,600 admissions.
The center will benefit physicians and patients alike in terms of convenience. 
Parking would also be easier to access in the medical office complex in Spreckels Park. It would offer the same convenience for patents that the existing imaging center does allowing them to avoid having to go to the hospital.