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THE LIST Largest VaLLey aViation CompaniesRanked by number of passengers 2011
By BAILEY BREWER Staff Reporter
Channel Islands Aviation has carved out an unusual niche for itself in the Valley’s charter industry.
Sure, it will fly executives across the country and world to do business in locales from New York to Beijing. But it also ferries many passengers much closer to home — to the islands, in fact, from which it draws its name.
The company, based at the Camarillo Airport, flies regularly to Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel islands, and has seen its fortunes rise along with the boom in ecotourism.
“It’s really a different world, and it’s only a half hour away,” said Mark Oberman, president of the family owned company.
Channel Islands, a newcomer to the Business Journal’s list of Largest Valley Aviation Companies, served 3,700 passengers last year, landing it on the No. 7 spot.
The company also introduced an aviation academy in June, an operation run by Oberman’s daughter. It’s a way to give teenagers an introduction to potential future career path. A pilot shortage anticipated by experts could leave the industry short of up to a million
pilots in the coming decades.Still, the company carries
just a fraction of the 50,000 passengers Clay Lacy Aviation booked last year, which made the Van Nuys company, once again, No. 1 on the list.
Clay Lacy has a client base that is about 80 percent business and 20 percent personal. President Brian Kirkdoffer, who’s been with the company for 22 years, said that the breakdown has not changed in that time.
But what has grown in the last year is the company’s aircraft maintenance division. The service is offered 24 hours a day; Clay Lacy boasts it’s the only West Coast aviation company that offers roundtheclock service.
The company also has invested in offering wireless Internet aboard its aircraft. That’s an expensive proposition for any carrier but it becomes even more costly for charters, which are lacking the economies of scale of commercial carriers with their massive fleets.
Kirkdoffer said the demand was strong among clients. “We were the first charter fleet in the country to start installing WiFi,” he said. “Most of our fleet has it already installed.”
Another repeater on the list – and in the exact some position – is Avjet Corp., an
aviation company based at Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport that ranks No. 2 with 32,626 passengers in 2011.
The company served about 3,500 fewer passengers than in 2010, but President Mark Lefever said that growth has returned this year due to strength in the international market, which accounts for about two thirds of Avjet’s business.
The company is patronized by extremely wealthy clients and former heads of state, none of whom can be identified.
“I can’t say that our economy here is do ing fantastic. It’s the global economy that’s allowing us to see this growth,” he said.
A charter company new to the list, Chrysler Avia-tion Inc., based at Van Nuys Airport, took the No. 3 spot, serving 18,500 passengers. It displaced TWC Aviation, another Van Nuys charter, which fell to No. 4.
TWC served 12,000 passengers in 2011, about 1,600 fewer than the previous year. However, the company made a big move this year to expand its business into China by partnering with a Hong Kong charter company Sino Jet. The partnership announced it was starting with a single Global Express intercontinental business jet based in Hong Kong.
Other newcomers to the list are Million Air of Burbank, which was No. 6, and Sun Quest Executive Air Charter of Van Nuys at No. 9.
The separate list of Largest Valley Fixed Base Operators, which includes companies that service and fuel planes, was topped again by Clay Lacy. The list is ranked by fulltime employees and the Van Nuys company had 277 in 2011.
Sun Air Jets, of Camarillo, also repeated at No. 2 on that list and employed 65 in 2011. The company last year expanded into Van Nuys Airport, where it leases hangar space. Channel Islands ranked third on the list.
Aviation Firms Chart Course Through ValleyList: Clay Lacy remains parked in top spot on local company ranking.
Day Trip: Channel Islands plane lands on Santa Rosa Island.
Rank Company¥ name
¥ address
Number ofPassengers1¥ 2011
¥ 2010
Number ofEmployees¥ 2011
¥ 2010
Number of Aircraft¥ owned 2011/¥ 2010
¥ managed 2011/¥ 2010
Services Provided (partial list) Profile¥ year founded
¥ headquarters
¥ website
Top LocalExecutive¥ name
¥ title
¥ phone
1Clay Lacy Aviation7435 Valjean Ave.Van Nuys 91406
50,00049,000
265265
13/1365/65
jet charter, aerial cinematography, private passengerlounges, conference rooms, flight planning, weathercenters, WiFi, hangar, ramp parking
1968Van Nuysclaylacy.com
Clay LacyCEO(818) 989 2900
2Avjet Corp.4301 Empire Ave.Burbank 91406
32,62637,938
150156
3/335/34
worldwide executive jet charter, aircraft management,aircraft sale and acquisitions, consulting and completionmonitoring of private business jets.
1979Burbankavjet.com
Mark H. LefeverPresident(818) 841-6190
3Chrysler Aviation, Inc.7120 Hayvenhurst Ave.,Ste. 309Van Nuys 91406
18,50019,700
2523
5/63/3
jet charter 1977Van Nuyschrysleraviation.com
Stelios DimitriRapisPresident(818) 989-7900
4TWC Aviation16700C Roscoe Blvd.Van Nuys 91406
12,00013,634
305300
4/459/61
aircraft management company offering worldwide private jetcharter, sales/acquisition and maintenance services.
1998Van Nuystwcaviation.com
Andrew RichmondCEO(818) 441-0100
5MC Aviation Corp.7415 Hayvenhurst PlaceVan Nuys 91406
5,9604,285
1214
1/24/3
jet charter and management 1995Van Nuysmcaviationcorp.com
Joseph McGuirePresident(818) 904-9860
6Million Air2800 N. Clybourn Ave.Burbank 91505
3,8004,000
2325
1/10/0
fuel, parking, and concierge service for corporate andprivate aircraft.
1980Burbankmillionair.com
Priscilla ArreraGeneral Manager(818) 843-8311
7Channel Islands Aviation305 Durley Ave.Camarillo 93010
3,7003,700
3540
7/78/7
full service FBO, charter, flight school, maintenance,avionics, aircraft sales, pilot supply store
1976Camarilloflycia.com
Mark ObermanPresident & Owner(805) 987-1301
8Helinet AviationServices, LLC16644 Roscoe Blvd.Van Nuys 91406
3,00023,0002
5050
13/1513/16
executive charter, aerial filming for production, medical-patient and organ transport, news gathering
1987Van Nuyshelinet.com
Alan D. PurwinFounder & CEO(818) 902-0229
9Sun Quest Executive AirCharter7415 Hayvenhurst PlaceVan Nuys 91406
2,8002,500
1614
2/26/6
private air charter, aircraft management, maintenance repairstation
1992Van Nuyssunquestexec.com
Mark SmithPresident(818) 778-6250
10Sun Air Jets855 Aviation DriveCamarillo 93010
2,5002,500
6560
8/815/12
jet charter, aircraft management, maintenance, propertyleasing
1999Camarillosunairjets.com
Steve LassetterPresident(805) 389-9300
11Dreamline Aviation, LLC16461 Sherman Way, Ste.210Van Nuys 91406
2,2501,300
3420
2/38/9
jet charter 2009Van Nuysdreamlineaviation.com
Mark SchmaltzPresident(818) 988-0029
12Corporate Jets LLC7943 Woodley Ave., Ste.100Van Nuys 91406
2,2001,625
3235
0/06/7
aircraft management, charter, and sales & acquisitions 1982Van Nuysflycj.com
Richard HodkinsonPresident & CEO(818) 989-5888
13Jet-Alliance, Inc.3390 Auto Mall DriveWestlake Village 91362
410450
67
2/24/5
private jets for ownership and charter 2000Westlake Villagejetalliance.com
Randall SanadaChairman(805) 371-8020
1 passengers are determined per flight segment2 based on company estimatesAn aviation company is defined as a company that provides air-travel services. The list is ranked by number ofpassengers in 2011. All information was provided by the companies themselves. To the best of our knowledge thisinformation is accurate as of press time. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of the
list, omissions and typographical errors sometimes occur. Please send corrections or additions on companyletterhead to the Research Department. San Fernando Valley Business Journal, 21600 Oxnard St,. Suite 250,Woodland Hills 91367. 2012 San Fernando Valley Business Journal. This list may not be reprinted in whole withoutprior written permission of the editor. Reprints are available from Wright's Media. (877) 652-5295 or [email protected]
Researched by Zachery De Nick
LisT sTory30 San fernando valley BUSIneSS JoUrnal octoBer 15, 2012
