L to R: Dave Rommel, Kevin Burkhardt, Craig Orr and Jeff Rommel, in front of Trans Air’s Westwind II.
By Geoff Flossic
Doing business requires you to be mobile. Let’s say you’re in Colorado, you have a last-minute business deal to get done in New York, and airlines aren’t able to accommodate you. Taking off with Trans Air will get you where you need to go, with as little as two hours notice.
Trans Air operates out of Centennial Airport and has been in business since September 2005. The company currently operates a Westwind II series aircraft for charter use.
“We found a good market with the Westwind II,” said Kevin Burkhardt, president and chief pilot. “It has more room than a Lear 35 and carries a bigger pay load.”
The plane also features a full bar, leather seats, a satellite phone and a private enclosed lavatory. After boarding the plane, you’ll be seated comfortably. Within minutes, you’ll be whisked off to your destination. You can order food of your choice; if you want filet mignon, it will be onboard for your dining pleasure.
The Westwind II has a cruising speed of 450 mph and a range of 2,250 nm, so it can fly coast to coast nonstop. The plane seats seven comfortably. Clients don’t go through airport security lines, and their luggage is stowed for them in the roomy baggage compartment.
The cabin of the Westwind II seats seven.
The Westwind II is approved for flight operations over water.
“We go to Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean, and, if needed, to South America,” said Dave Rommel, director of operations.
After 9/11, Rommel and Burkhardt realized there was a growing need for charters. Since they’ve opened the doors, business has grown. Rommel’s nephew, Jeff Rommel, is director of sales and has been following the trend.
“We’ve been getting a lot of referrals, and a lot of repeat customers,” he said. “We started a website and have been doing more marketing.”
The three men came from the air ambulance industry and decided to join together in the air charter business. Customer service is a high priority and is one of the main reasons people keep coming back.
“We try to deliver the best customer service possible and want to meet the needs of our customers,” said Burkhardt. “We want to make sure people walk away happy. We try to provide our customers with what they want.”
Airlines can get you to only the major airports in the vicinity. Flying on a charter jet allows you to fly into an airport closest to your destination.
Costs begin with a base hourly price and then vary according to passenger needs. Trans Air has dispatch available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With as little as two hours notice, you can call for a late night jump to Las Vegas, and a plane will be available to get you and your friends to the slot machines. Trans Air will take care of all the planning; customer service representatives will call and arrange for rental cars, hotel reservations, ground transportation and more.
The Westwind is available with as little as two hours notice.
Trans Air crews are highly trained and have years of professional flight training and experience. Dave Rommel worked for US Air for 20 years and has more than 12,000 hours of flight time. Burkhardt has about 8,500 hours of flight time. The crews receive recurrent training at Flight Safety, and the planes are maintained on a regular basis. Craig Orr, director of maintenance, has years of aircraft experience.
With the continued success of the company and the growth of the charter industry, Trans Air plans to have five aircraft in its fleet in the next five years. At the present, Dave Rommel has one aircraft in mind.
“We would love to get another Westwind II,” he said.
The company is looking for aircraft owners who would like to add their aircraft to the fleet and be added on to the FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate. Aircraft owners can decide the amount of monthly flight hours that will be available for charter.
Dave Rommel is excited about the future.
“The charter industry is growing and we’re growing right there along with it,” he said.
Trans Air is located at 12580 East Control Tower Road. For more information, call 303-858-9079, 800-965-9079 or visit [http://www.transaircharter.com].