Now boarding
Executive jet charter big business at Camarillo Airport
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers TOP FLIGHT- This $40-million Bombardier Global 5000 15-passenger intercontinental business jet is one of seven aircraft in Sun Air Jet Center's growing fleet of extremely costly corporate planes. The private jet charter company is one of three such firms situated at Camarillo Airport.

Steve Lassetter, president of Sun Air Jets, swipes his security card and steps into the cavernous 25,000-square-foot hangar- one of three that make up the headquarters of the private jet charter company at the Camarillo Airport.

Inside the immaculately kept hangar, Lassetter ducks beneath the wing of his company's newest acquisition, a Bombardier Global 5000. Known in the industry as the Rolls Royce of private air travel, the 15-passenger $40 million jet is one of seven aircraft in Sun Air's growing fleet of very expensive airplanes.

"Much as a marina is to boats, we are to corporate airplanes," Lassetter said of the local company that not only charters private flights but stores, fuels and maintains aircraft for executives landing at Camarillo for business in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers CHARTER SERVICE- Avantair Elite Service mechanic Brandon Bell, a Thousand Oaks resident, performs routine maintenance Tuesday on a Piaggio Avanti P 180 aircraft at the newly constructed Avantair facility at Camarillo Airport.

Lassetter said the company earns about $20 million a year in revenue and the planes are "about as busy as you can make them."

He said private jet charters cost about $2,000 an hour and have become increasingly popular with a number of the county's larger companies- those that boast annual revenue in the neighborhood of $100 million.

Over the past six years, charter jet companies have begun to spring up at many of the nation's smaller airfields, and the Camarillo Airport is no exception.

Following 9/11, increased security measures meant safer planes but slower travel at most major airports. And in the fast-paced world of corporate business, time wasted by executives waiting for flights, making their way through security or driving to more out-of-the-way cities sparked a need for faster travel.

"While it's still more expensive than flying the cheap seats on Delta, the fact is, you can get in, get out and get on to the next thing in a hurry," Lassetter said. "That's why people do this."

Privately owned by Edward G. Atsinger III, co-founder of media giant Salem Communications, Sun Air Jets' facility includes 20,000-square-foot of office space complete with a corporate terminal, a pilot's lounge and a gourmet kitchen to prep in-flight meals.

Sun Air, which employs 55 pilots, mechanics and office staff, is one of three charter companies with operations at the single runway airport.

Florida-based Avantair, the newest addition to the Camarillo Airport, arrived less than a year ago and will host a grand opening of their stateoftheart private jet center tomorrow night.

Founded in 2003, Avantair allows companies to buy fractional ownership of their 37 Piaggio Avanti P.180 turboprop airplanes.

In essence, a company can buy a certain number of charter flight hours on an annual basis.

Monthly maintenance fees are also part of the cost, but Kevin McKamey, Avantair's executive vice president, said the company's growth is proof that the convenience of private jet travel trumps expense.

According to Avantair officials, the company reported revenue of $21.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007- up nearly 60 percent from the same time last year.

Avantair officials said the company has nearly 50 new airplanes on order and their Camarillo facility- with a 54,000-square-foot hangar and 11,000 squarefoot executive office and terminal- gives the company a West Coast base of operations.

Once complete, Avantair plans to staff more than 25 at its Camarillo location.

McKamey said Avantair chose Camarillo because of its convenience and the fact that Ventura County's business community continues to rapidly grow.

"There is room for growth," McKamey said. "Van Nuys and Santa Monica (airports), there's nothing that those areas can do.

Instead of driving into the heart of traffic, they're finding it's much easier to drive into Ventura County."

The oldest of the three private jet charter companies, Channel Islands Aviation, has been a mainstay at Camarillo Airport for over 30 years.

Founded by Mark and Janie Oberman and their partner Tom Driscoll in 1976, Channel Islands Aviation not only rents planes and provides lessons, but owns a fleet of two private airplanes for charter.

With over 60,000 square-feet of office and hanger space, Channel Islands Aviation is considered one of the anchor tenants at the 650-acre airport.

CIA's co-owner, Michael Oberman, said that although charter jet service only accounts for about 20 percent of his annual revenue, demand for charter planes has continued to rise over the past few years.

Oberman said the new wave of very light jets- a smaller, less expensive version of the high-end aircraft- will make charter flight service more affordable and popular among area companies.

"I think there is going to be a definite upswing in charter business," Oberman said.

Very light jets are just now starting to be delivered to customers throughout the world.

Oberman said his company has not yet seriously considered buying a very light jet for charter service but said it was a possibility.

"Once those airplanes get into the system, charter flight is just going to mushroom," he said.