KaiserAir: Together We Build
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“Together We Build” was the mantra of Kaiser Industries over fifty years ago, and today KaiserAir is again breaking new ground by announcing plans to build its airline by adding a second Boeing 737 to the company’s Part 121 Airline Certificate.
KaiserAir has been operating continuously from its base in Oakland, California, since 1954, and today remains as the San Francisco Bay Area’s only Full-Service Aviation Company, with two Bay Area FBOs, a Part 145 Maintenance base, charter, management and now the Airline.
KaiserAir operates their 737-700 as a shuttle to Kona, Hawaii, and also provides VIP charter in the sixty first class seating configuration. With the demand increasing for large VIP group charter, KaiserAir plans to exploit this niche by investing in more aircraft that can do long range ETOPs and International flying. And offering multiple seating options, or LOPAs (Layout of Passenger Accommodations), the company will be able to accommodate a wide range of passenger groups from 60 to 120, with top notch catering and first class amenities.
While long-time President Ron Guerra claims to be retiring, he remains a fixture in Oakland and spends much of his time preparing the next generation of KaiserAir leadership for what comes next: expansion and growth. As a former NBAA Board member, Ron is the recipient of the prestigious Jack Doswell award, as well as the FAA’s Wright Brothers Award for a distinguished flying career spanning more than fifty years.
KaiserAir’s expansion and growth is now becoming the responsibility of Rob Guerra, who is currently the Senior Vice President of Operations and the Chief Pilot for the company’s Part 121 Airline; a position that allows him to focus on implementing the renewed vision for the company.
“The reason I love this company is because we are always evolving and when we set our sights on something, we do it big,” says Rob Guerra. “By staying focused on our core skills and doing what we do best, we have been able to grow a more complete business. We are expanding our airline capability, which helps us to drive growth in the other parts of our business, including our FBOs, our maintenance and definitely our management services.”
The Airline program has certainly made a significant impact in each of the departments, in part because of the added operational standards that are strenuously enforced by the FAA, but also because of the necessity to increase training, equipment and maintain an intense focus on safety above all else. What all of this means is that as a company KaiserAir is held accountable to a higher set of standards than many Part 135 operators, or FBOs.
“When we started the Airline program we just thought it would be another service we could offer our customers,” says Glenn Barrett, the Vice President of Maintenance. “We didn’t realize how it would become a central theme for the whole company, and a rally point for all of the departments.”
Both of the FBOs have the added experience of handling large aircraft, which involves substantial new training and equipment. “Being an Airline only makes us better,” says Otto Wright, the Oakland FBO General Manager. “When you run an FBO that is also providing the ground handling for an airline, “just good enough” just isn’t good enough. Safety is always a top priority, and we have also put a serious focus on delivering a higher level of customer service.”
The KaiserAir Oakland Jet Center routinely handles large aircraft and has refined its ground operation to accommodate more of these large aircraft; they have the only AirStart cart suitable for airliners, as well as a fuel capacity, volume and pricing to support the heavy iron. Likewise, the Santa Rosa FBO and Maintenance base have expanded their facilities to accommodate the growing need to work on the expanding Boeing fleet.
And because of the larger aircraft, KaiserAir is eyeing several additional expansion opportunities where KaiserAir could leverage its full-service model. According to Rob Guerra, “we made it through the bad economy and have faced some tough competition, but we know how to compete and are always looking for new ways to grow our business.”
To learn more about KaiserAir please visit them at their NBAA booth in Las Vegas, Booth # C11840, or contact Otto Wright at (510) 418-9855 to arrange a meeting.