November 18, 2024
Air Associates has apparently closed charter operations after more than 20 years, according to messages from the company to brokers.
Kansas City-based Air Associates Charter apparently shuttered its charter operations on Friday, according to communications reviewed by Private Jet Card Comparisons.
The Part 135 charter operator listed a Citation CJ3 and Bombardier Lear 60 on its website.
However, AMSTAT shows two additional Hawker 400XPs on its charter certificate earlier this year.
The company was launched by CEO Tom Cargin in 2002, according to a profile on its website.
According to the website:
‘Cargin used the opportunity to purchase the assets of Air Associates of Kansas, Inc. in 2002 to pursue his passion for aviation and formed Air Associates of Kansas, which under his leadership has become a full-service fixed base operator on Johnson County Executive Airport (OJC) in Olathe, KS. Air Associate provides aircraft management, charter, maintenance, storage, aircraft rental, and instruction services. Air Associates is a Cessna Pilot Center (utilizing the latest in Cessna training aircraft and training techniques) and a Cessna Service Center providing warranty and maintenance services on Cessna Single Engine aircraft.’
At the time of its apparent closure, the company had future trips booked, with at least one broker needing to find an alternative operator.
It is unknown whether and how much money Air Associates is holding for future trips.
The company also has maintenance facilities.
It is unclear whether that part of the business is also impacted.
On its website, which remains active as of today, it is advertising for CJ3 and Learjet pilots and mechanics.
Per a LinkedIn post from Cargin, the Lear 60 was added last year.
Both light jets are listed on the latest FAA register of aircraft approved for Part 135 operations.
Of the over 600 operators with jets on their charter certificates, only about 10% have at least 10 jet aircraft in their fleet.
One broker tells Private Jet Card Comparisons, “It’s disappointing. We’ve had good feedback about them for past trips.”
The emails indicated that Friday was “the last day of pay for all employees.”
There was no response to multiple attempts to contact the company.
The closure comes despite continued year-over-year gains in flights and flight hours.
While the 30 largest charter and fractional operators account for approximately 30% of flight hours, nearly 1,000 smaller fixed-wing operators comprise the remaining 70%, according to data from ARGUS TRAQPak.
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