A Mayo-born entrepreneur, who has just been appointed to the board of Ireland West Airport Knock, is aiming to promote long-haul passenger business between the airport and the United States.
Ulick McEvaddy has also not ruled out the possibility in the long-term of the airport being used as a stopover for US military flights.
Mr McEvaddy, whose refuelling company, Omega Air, has lucrative contacts and ties with the US military, is back on the Ireland West Airport Knock (IWAK) Board after an 18-year absence.
On the possibility of Knock being used as a stopover for US troop flights in much the same way as Shannon is at present, Mr McEvaddy said he did not think that Knock could ever compete with Shannon for US military business due to the limitations of its runway and the fact that extensive duty-free facilities were available at the Co Clare base.
However, he added: "Never say never. I have huge connections with the US military and if it came to using them I would."
Mr McEvaddy agreed that the use of Knock for US military flights would be controversial but he said he would have no misgivings.
One of Mr McEvaddy's more immediate aims as a director of IWAK will be to develop long- haul passenger business between Knock and the US.
The US market could bring up to 100,000 extra passengers into Knock every year, he estimates. "Knock will eventually be a useful hub for Europe, not as big as Dublin but I predict it will grow into a reasonably serious perimeter-of-Europe airport," he said.
Mr McEvaddy is one of a number of new appointments to the board of IWAK. Others are property developer Arthur French; John Travers, chairman of the Strategy Implementation Group; Lisa McAllister, who is on sabbatical from her job as chief executive of the Western Development Commission, and Mgr Joseph Quinn, parish priest of Knock.