FRISCO, Texas – The sterling practice facility he's opened within the last month should serve as evidence – not to mention his iconic stadium on the other side of town.
But in case anyone was wondering, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones likes to do things big.
That much was evident Thursday afternoon when Jones greeted reporters after stepping off his newest mode of transportation, an Airbus H145 helicopter, which he landed on the Cowboys' practice field.
"It's absolutely state-of-the-art for Airbus," Jones said. "More importantly, it'll be a great tool for us to be back and forth from our stadium in Arlington and be here in Frisco at The Star."
He added: "To me, it kinda says a little bit about the glitz and glamour of the Dallas Cowboys."
The helicopter will cut the commute from the facility to the stadium – typically a 45-minute drive – to as few as 13 minutes, and it will serve as a convenient method of transportation for partners and business associates of the Cowboys organization – offering quite a view of The Star and AT&T Stadium, not to mention all the locations in between.
It's also highly-customizable, as the cabin console can be removed to install an additional seat, and easily removable cabin floor carpeting and other luxury features allow the helicopter to be used on work trips to Jones' ranch.
"This is multi-use – has the best power, has the best speed, has the best range," Jones said. "We're excited about that. If we could just figure out a way for it to help us make some first downs, we'd really be excited."
Jones bought the helicopter from nearby Airbus Helicopters, Inc., located in Grand Prairie, Texas. In the last decade, the company has sold nearly as many helicopters as the combined total of its principal competitors. Airbus Helicopters products are the market leaders for air medical transport, law enforcement, and airborne tourism.
The company is a major supplier to the U.S. Army, the Coast Guard, and Customs and Border Protection. Texas Department of Public Safety is one of many state and local law enforcement agencies operating Airbus Helicopters products.
Treg Manning, the company's vice president of sales and marketing for North America, was on hand with Jones for the occasion, and stressed the excitement of a bond between Airbus and the Cowboys.
"We've been a part of this community since 1969, and we're very excited to be the No. 1 helicopter manufacturer," Manning said. "We consider ourselves part of the home team since we've been here so long, and we're very excited to be associated with America's Team. It's truly an honor for all of our employees and associates."
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