News Article

KaiserAir Offers Bay Area Access Without the Headaches

Professional Pilot
February, 2001

KaiserAir's 32 maintenance technicians welcome the addition of this renovated hangar which will help the company expand its commitment to maintain non-client aircraft. The FBO also expects to expand its capabilities as a factory-authorized Learjet service center. VP Line Service and Properties Gregg Rorabaugh (right) describes the KaiserAir facility as the premier business aviation destination in the Bay area.

Surprisingly, the 11th busiest general aviation airport in the US--OAK (Oakland CA)--is sometimes thought of only as a reliever to SFO (San Francisco Intl CA). But OAK offers all the amenities of SFO without the delays incurred from navigating a congested commercial airline hub. It is also centrally located in the heart of the expanding San Francisco Bay area. KaiserAir, OAK's full service FBO, has seen its traffic increase dramatically over the past few years as more and more corporate operators discover it as an ideal base for conducting business anywhere within the Bay area. KaiserAir is capable of supporting any aircraft with its well-trained staff and large ramp. Its operations have climbed by more than 20% for the past 4 years as word gets around that this is a quality shop offering complete line service, fuel and a full range of maintenance capabilities. It's also a quick-turn destination only 20 minutes from downtown San Francisco.

"Typically, we like foul weather because we get a fair amount of diversion traffic from SFO across the Bay and it's our chance to introduce KaiserAir to operators who don't know us," says VP Line Service and Properties Gregg Rorabaugh. "I think as more people discover how easy it is to get in and get out of OAK we will continue to see our business expand." The 24-hr full service FBO offers catering arrangements, WSI weather, modem hook-ups, crew cars, a snooze room with DSS satellite TV and nearly 100 movies.

Near by is the Western Aerospace Museum and outdoor recreation opportunities such as golf, jogging and hiking trails. Recently, KaiserAir expanded its maintenance shop and now offers drop-in service to its visiting aircraft clients. In December it completed a $2-million hangar renovation, doubling its maintenance capability in support of Gulfstream, Hawker, Learjet, Falcon, Citation and Challenger 600 series aircraft. Its drop-in services include expanding business in its parts department, interior shop and renowned wheel and brake shop. KaiserAir also operates a charter fleet that consists of a Citation II, Citation V, Hawker 700, Hawker 800, Gulfstream IIB and GIVSP. In the next quarter 2 GIIIs and a Citation Bravo will be added to KaiserAir's charter operations.
 
A pilot company
KaiserAir dates back to 1946, when it began as the flight department for the Kaiser Companies, which were founded by the late industrialist Henry Kaiser, an engineering entrepreneur who built dams shower,, roads and automobiles. When he and his business needed to take flight, he created KaiserAir, initially based at YIP (Willow Run, Detroit MI), where he kept a DC3 for his automobile factory outside Detroit. In 1954 the operation moved to the headquarters of Kaiser Industries Corp, by then the parent company of Kaiser Steel and numerous other Kaiser companies. Gradually, KaiserAir added other corporate clients and in 1980 the Kaiser flight department purchased the operation from Kaiser Steel. KaiserAir has been in continuous operation since its founding in 1946, and the current management has been in place for more than 40 years. Employing 136 staff, including 32 pilots and 32 aviation technicians, KaiserAir operates 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week.
 
Changing perceptions
KaiserAir, Bay area business leaders and the Oakland chamber of commerce have formed a committee whose aim is to ensure that OAK can meet the needs of business aviation for the next decade.

According to KaiserAir VP Business Devt Sandy Waters, educating the community about the importance of business aviation to the economy will be a major part of the program. He adds, "The proximity of an airport with capacity for business jets is an important factor in attracting and retaining 'headquarters companies' which bring in thousands of jobs to the region. In the Bay area, Oakland's North Airport is ideally situated to handle the operations of a regional airport serving general and business aviation." --Justin Marchant

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