KaiserAir

KaiserAir is a business jet and 737 Charter company, that also provides aircraft management services and has two San Francisco Bay Area FBO located in several Bay Area locations, Oakland International Airport and Sonoma County Airport. KaiserAir operates a fleet of charter aircraft and two FAA certified airlines (which consist of three Boeing 737's). There is currently two weekly shuttle services to Hawaii operated by KaiserAir known as the Kona Shuttle and Hawaii Shuttle, in addition to exclusive VIP charters for corporations, athletic teams, families and other large groups. KaiserAir also operates an aircraft sales department with both purchasing and selling aircraft.[1] The company was originally part of the in-house flight department of industrialist Henry Kaiser. The flight department was sold off to its chief pilot, Ronald J. Guerra, in 1980.

History

KaiserAir grew out of the flight department of industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. The flight department was formed in 1946 to organize the transport requirements of the Kaiser group of companies.[2] The department flew Gulfstreams, Hawkers, Falcons and JetStars. The company began providing transport, maintenance and aircraft management services to third parties in 1967. In 1980 Kaiser Steel sold the company to Ronald Guerra, KaiserAir's chief pilot, for $150,000. The Kona Shuttle, an exclusive air service to Hawaii for VIPS, used the KaiserAir terminal at Oakland International Airport. When the companies providing these flights (Primaris Airlines and Ryan International Airlines)[3] failed, KaiserAir acquired its first large passenger jet, a Boeing 737-700 and took on the service itself. It initially flew under the certificate of Miami Air International, but in 2011 the company obtained a certificate of their own becoming the first new airline on the Oakland Airport in over 50 years. KaiserAir has since acquired four Boeing 737s.[4]

KaiserAir's past clients have included former U.S. Presidents, Royalty, Celebrities, and Fortune 500 Executives.[2] KaiserAir's Boeing 737-500 was chartered for the Joe Biden 2020 Presidential Campaign.[5]


Operations

KaiserAir's main operation is from Oakland International Airport where it runs its charter airline, managed aircraft for private clients, and fixed-base operator (FBO) services. It has been operating from this site since 1946. It has a second FBO at Santa Rosa Airport.[4] In 2011, KaiserAir had 150 employees across both sites. KaiserAir has a large VIP lounge and other passenger facilities.

KaiserAir has provided team transport to the San Jose Sharks NHL team since 2015.

Fleet

KaiserAir operates a fleet of both charter (FAA part 135 certification) and airline (FAA part 121 certification) aircraft. The Part 135 fleet consists of three Cessna Citations and Gulfstreams. While the Part 121 Fleet consists of three Boeing 737's, two of which are Next Generation.

KaiserAir
Aircraft In

service

 Orders Passengers Notes
J F W Y+ Y Total Refs
Boeing 737-500 1 — — 60 — — — 60 [6]

[7]

 60 VIP or 120 Coach
— 120 120
Boeing 737-700 1 — — 60 — — — 60 [6] Used for Kona Shuttle
— 120 120
Boeing 737-800 2 — — 60 — — — 60 [6]
— 120 120

As of 2011 (when KaiserAir had only one Boeing 737) they had a total of approximately twenty jets and ten turboprops based at Oakland.[8]

References
  1. "KaiserAir". KaiserAir. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  2. "About KaiserAir". KaiserAir. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  3. Airways Magazine, vol. 16, p. 2, 2009.
  4. William Garvey, "Inside business aviation", Aviation Week & Space Technology, p. 14, 17–30 September 2018.
  5. Gollan, Doug. "Here's The Interesting History Of Joe Biden's Private Jet". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  6. "Kaiser Air Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  7. "Airline (121)". KaiserAir. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  8. Thierry Dubois, "FBO profile: Kaiser Air is long on experience", AIN Online, 1 November 2011, accessed and archived 6 November 2021.

Further reading
  • "Kaiserair Receives FAA Certification". The Weekly of Business Aviation. Vol. 74, no. 14. 2002-04-01. p. 157.
  • "KaiserAir; News of promotions, appointments and honors". Business and Commercial Aviation. Vol. 93, no. 6. McGraw Hill. 2003-12-01. p. 105.
  • David Rimmer (2001-04-01). "KaiserAir at Oakland International Airport". Business and Commercial Aviation. Vol. 88, no. 4. McGraw Hill. p. 33.
  • James E. Swickard (2003-01-01). "KaiserAir opened a NiCad battery service shop". Business and Commercial Aviation. Vol. 92, no. 1. McGraw Hill. p. 30.
  • "Otto Wright Named Manager, Oakland FBO, KaiserAir". Marketing Weekly News. 2011-05-14. p. 232.
  • "Kaiserair Won Approval To Install TAWS On Gulfstream Aircraft". The Weekly of Business Aviation. Vol. 74, no. 12. 2002-03-18. p. 134.
  • Edward H. Phillips (2001-02-26). "The FAA Has Authorized Kaiserair Inc to install the Universal Technical Standard Order (TSO) Terrain Avoidance and Warning System". Aviation week & space technology. Vol. 154, no. 9. p. 69.
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