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Showing posts with label aircraft management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aircraft management. Show all posts
Gateway Jets, the St. Louis area's premier aircraft management company, has opened their new corporate hangar complex on the west side of St. Louis Downtown Airport. After many months of planning and construction, the hangar and apron will now serve as the base for Gateway Jets clients. The hangar can accommodate up to five Citation aircraft along with amenities to provide a first-class aircraft ownership and travel experience.
The Aero Experience recently visited with Corey Tomczak, owner and President of Gateway Jets, to get a preview of the new hangar. Aircraft access is provided via a taxiway to the new adjoining apron, and a 100-foot long, bi-fold door allows easy movement in and out of the hangar for most corporate jet types. Gateway Jets clients will have a 10' x 10’ private entrance door from the street for secure indoor vehicle parking. Here we will give an overview of the main hangar space, showing the space available even with a Citation XL, Citation Mustang and Beech Baron parked inside. We will tour the crew and passenger service area soon when it is completely furnished with a flight operations center, conference room, kitchen, bathrooms, a shower, laundry and a lounge.
In the video below, Tomczak elaborates on opening the new hangar and shows us the Citation XL, the largest jet currently managed by Gateway Jets. Courtesy services such as food stocks and professional detailing, as shown in the video, are included. Aircraft inspections and preventive maintenance are provided by industry leaders such as West Star Aviation. Other services offered by Gateway Jets include aircraft brokerage, flight crews and aircraft hangar rental.
Corey Tomczak started Gateway Jets in 2013 to provide personalized aircraft management services to the St. Louis market. Now the company is the largest of its kind in the metropolitan area. Gateway Jets specializes in the Cessna Citation series, a proven design that offers an efficient and effective aircraft model for each client's mission.
Getting the best value from your aircraft, and also running your own business, is not always feasible. That is where Gateway Jets can help. Corey Tomczak and his staff can expertly guide new owners, upgrade clients through the acquisition process and manage the aircraft's operation, crewing, maintenance and regulatory compliance.
In many cases, an aircraft management company can turn a good business into a great business by providing direct, cost-effective air transportation to where the next big deal will be struck or to visit with regional site managers. Knowing that your aircraft is well maintained, stocked and crewed takes much of the stress away from using the aircraft as a great asset. St. Louis area aircraft owners can have that peace of mind when entrusting their aircraft to locally-based Gateway Jets.
“Gateway Jets is a company designed to give the client the best experience of owning an aircraft at a reasonable cost," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. "Our business is to provide a mission-ready, safe, clean aircraft while looking out for our client's best interests. We take care of the whole operation so that they can just arrive and fly knowing that their aircraft is in good hands. Leave the fine details up to us. Your only job is to arrive and fly."
Gateway Jets is ready to help with your aircraft acquisition, crewing, and operations management needs. Contact Gateway Jets today and put your aviation assets in good hands!
Gateway Jets, the St. Louis area's premier aircraft management company, has broken ground and started construction on a new corporate hangar on the west side of St. Louis Downtown Airport. After many months of planning, a hangar and apron foundation are now ready for gravel delivery and the pouring of concrete during this warm weather spell. Construction will continue as much as possible throughout the next few months, with a spring grand opening planned.
The Aero Experience met with Corey Tomczak, Founder and President of Gateway Jets, for an update on the project. We surveyed the site and discussed the future of Gateway Jets at this new, central location where a portion of the managed aircraft fleet will reside.
The Gateway Jets hangar is designed to accommodate five managed Citation jets. The structure will measure 140' X 95' with a 100' bi-fold door. The accompanying apron is 80 feet with access to the existing taxi lane, which will be widened. The nearby fence and gate will be moved back 30 feet toward the street to provide the necessary wingtip clearance as the jets taxi in and out. Gateway Jets clients will have a 10' x 10’ private entrance door from the street for secure indoor vehicle parking. Inside amenities will include a utility area, conference room, kitchen, bathrooms, a shower and a waiting area with access to the apron.
The new
corporate hangar complex will consolidate aircraft operations while improving
client comfort and access to their aircraft. Crews will also have a central
flight operations center for more efficient flight planning and logistics
support.
Corey
Tomczak started Gateway Jets in 2013 to provide personalized aircraft
management services to the St. Louis market. Now with ten aircraft under
contract, the company is the largest of its kind in the metropolitan area.
Gateway Jets specializes in the Cessna Citation series, a proven design that
offers an efficient and effective aircraft model for each client's mission.
Gateway Jets also manages other aircraft, including the TBM line of turboprops.
Getting
the best value from your aircraft, and also running your own business, is not
always feasible. That is where Gateway Jets can help. Corey Tomczak and his
staff can expertly guide new owners, upgrade clients through the
acquisition process and manage the aircraft's operation, crewing, maintenance
and regulatory compliance.
“Gateway
Jets is a company designed to give the client the best experience of owning an
aircraft at a reasonable cost," Tomczak told The Aero Experience.
"Our business is to provide a mission-ready, safe, clean aircraft while
looking out for our client's best interests. We take care of the whole
operation so that they can just arrive and fly knowing that their aircraft is
in good hands. Leave the fine details up to us. Your only job is to arrive and
fly.
“When
our clients sign up for Gateway Jets, we offer flexibility, especially in the
way that it’s staffed," Tomczak continued. "Since we specialize in
the Citation Family, as long as they have a Citation, right off the bat, they
have access to six captains right from the get-go. I’ve been flying the CJ
Series for sixteen years now and managing them for ten, and I’ve really become
an expert in what it takes to make this a safe operation. And we know which
shops specialize in certain aspects of maintenance and we can go there when
it’s needed.”
The Aero Experience will post regular updates as the construction of the Gateway Jets hangar continues. For more on the Cessna Citation Family of aircraft, see our previous series: Citation CJ Line Brings Comfort and Efficiency to Business Jet Travel, Parts 1,2,3,4
The
Cessna Citation line of business jets offers a wide variety of models from
which to choose, each providing the ideal combination of performance and
efficiency to meet each owner's mission. Cessna (now Textron) produces the
CitationJet, or CJ, fleet that has evolved and modernized over the last three
decades. Along with new models, there are attractive and well-maintained
pre-owned aircraft available for first-time jet owners and upgrade customers.
This 1996 CitationJet, managed by Gateway Jets, is an example of an updated CJ
that will serve the customer's travel needs for years to come.
The Aero Experience recently visited with Gateway Jets Founder and President, Corey Tomczak, to learn more about this aircraft. The CJ series is
an update to the classic Citation Model 500 and includes ten sub-types that incorporate improvements in safety, efficiency and comfort without adding undue complexity.
In today's market, the CJ is affordable jet transportation, especially when
shared among several owners and professionally managed by Gateway Jets.
The CJ is larger than
the later-model Citation Mustang featured in a previous series of stories with
Gateway Jets. "This is a step up in terms of speed, payload, range,
carrying capacity as well as having lower entry-level costs," Tomczak told The
Aero Experience. "Each one of the Citation family of jets that we
manage fit the customer needs differently, and to their advantage."
This aircraft has seating for up to seven passengers: five dedicated passenger seats in club-plus-one arrangement; copilot seat if flying single crew; and belted lavatory seat in the rear of the aircraft. Flights can range from
500-1000nm or more depending on number of passengers, luggage and fuel on board. The CJ is certified to fly at 41,000 feet, though typical flights cruise at 34,000-38,000 feet.
The CJ design adds high-value refinements to the conventional airframe and flight control system of the original Citation. The two fuel-efficient and reliable Williams International
FJ44 engines burn only 130 gallons/hour at 360kts. A laminar-flow wing design, the product of a joint-venture
with NASA, incorporates a gentle sweep and an engine bleed-air leading edge
anti-icing system. Baggage compartments are quite large and are
conveniently hidden in the nose and cabin behind the aft bulkhead.
This CJ has also received a significant avionics upgrade, replacing the original vacuum-powered instruments and aging navigation and communications aids with state-of-the-art Garmin products. Illustrated here are the Garmin G600TXI touchscreen main flight instrument displays, the G750 GPS/NAV/COM multi-function displays and GI 275 backup electronic attitude indicator in this well-equipped panel. The weight reduction realized in the avionics upgrade requires about 150lbs. of ballast to be carried in the nose cargo compartment when the aircraft is flown single-pilot.
The Aero Experience joined Corey Tomczak on a local positioning flight from St. Louis Downtown Airport to St. Louis Regional Airport where the aircraft would receive some minor maintenance at West Star Aviation. In the video below, we introduce the features of the CJ and take a brief look at the flight experience.
Gateway Jets provides aircraft management services for the Cessna Citation series of jets, including the larger Excel/XLS/XLS+ models, from initial purchase to all
aspects of air operations, maintenance and compliance. Current aircraft owners
will quickly see the advantage of having their aircraft managed by Gateway
Jets. For those ready to acquire an aircraft, Corey Tomczak and his team
will help buyers define the mission for the new aircraft and choose the most
appropriate aircraft type. They will assist in the purchase process, prepare a
plan of operations and then work closely with the aircraft owner to ensure the
aircraft and crew are ready to fly. Contact Gateway Jets today to find out how their aircraft management service can benefit you and your business.
Owning
and operating your own jet or turboprop aircraft should be a very rewarding
experience. What could be better than arriving at your destination in your own
aircraft, on your own time, ready to step out and get on with your day? The
practicality of flying there in a comfortable and efficient CitationJet, for example, is
within reach of more business owners today with the help of the aircraft
acquisition and management services provided by Gateway Jets.
Corey
Tomczak started Gateway Jets in 2013 to provide personalized aircraft
management services to the St. Louis market. Now with nine aircraft under
contract, the company is the largest of its kind in the metropolitan area.
Gateway Jets specializes in the Cessna Citation series, a proven design that
offers an efficient and effective aircraft model for each customer's mission.
Gateway Jets also manages other aircraft, including the TBM line of turboprops.
Getting
the best value from your aircraft, and also running your own business, is not
always feasible. That is where Gateway Jets can help. Corey Tomczak and his
staff can expertly guide new owners and upgrade customers through the
acquisition process and manage the aircraft's operation, crewing, maintenance
and regulatory compliance.
“Gateway
Jets is a company designed to give the client the best experience of owning an
aircraft at a reasonable cost," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. "Our business is to provide a mission-ready, safe, clean aircraft while looking out for our client's best interests. We take care of the whole operation so that they can just arrive and fly knowing that their aircraft is in good hands. Leave the fine details up to us. Your only job
is to arrive and fly.”
In many
cases, an aircraft management company can turn a good business into a great
business by providing direct, cost-effective air transportation to where the
next big deal will be struck or to visit with regional site managers. Knowing
that your aircraft is well maintained, stocked and crewed takes much of the
stress away from using the aircraft as a great asset. St. Louis area aircraft
owners can have that peace of mind when entrusting their aircraft to locally based Gateway Jets.
Customer consulting is one way Gateway Jets adds value to their services. Most of the owners working with Gateway Jets are non-pilots or are not rated for the aircraft under management.
"I enjoy taking clients from step one," Tomczak explained. "They'll come to us with a mission, an intended budget. We analyze their mission, help them find a plane, and once they have the plane, we help them put a program in place that suits their budget as far as supplying pilots, maintenance and other services."The result of the consultation is a cost-effective, practical plan for meeting the air transportation needs of the client.
"It's a time and money savings," Tomczak emphasized. "We can guarantee time and hassle savings by using our experience to do things the correct way. Even with our management fee, they will save money." Part of that savings comes from industry maintenance sourcing and budget forecasting services that greatly reduce the chances of the most common unexpected costs of aircraft ownership.
Gateway Jets has "written the book" on aircraft ownership. Their "10 Secrets of Personal Flight Management" provides key insights on the practical issues faced by new business aircraft owners. From flying to a neighboring state to jetting across the country, owning and operating increasingly sophisticated aircraft efficiently and cost-effectively takes a new level of expertise. Gateway Jets provides the aircraft management services that make aircraft ownership and operation a reality for growing local businesses.
In our next story and video presentation, The Aero Experience will meet again with Corey Tomczak for a flight in a CitationJet managed by Gateway Jets. Below are photos and videos from our previous coverage of Gateway Jets managed aircraft.
The Cessna CitationJet, or CJ, line of aircraft has made
owning and operating a business jet accessible and affordable for more people
in recent years. The CJ1 through CJ4 offer a combination of performance and
efficiency to fly up to eight people on trips from 500-1000nm. In Parts 1 and 2
of this series, we featured a CJ managed by Gateway Jets in St. Louis. In
Parts 3 and 4 below, The Aero Experience covers the aircraft acquisition process and mission profiles with
the President of Gateway Jets, Corey Tomczak.
Gateway Jets provides aircraft management services from
initial purchase to all aspects of air operations, maintenance and compliance.
Corey Tomczak and his team are ready to help the buyer navigate the acquisition
process from concept to reality.
The Acquisition Process
"We like to break it down into three parts of the
process," Tomczak told The Aero Experience in our previous post. "Step One is determining
which aircraft is right for you. Step Two is finding an aircraft in the market
and getting an offer accepted. And Step Three is the closing process."
Tomczak also mentioned that determining if an aircraft purchase is even
appropriate for the prospective buyer is an essential part of the initial
consultation.
The Citation CJ featured in this series was purchased by three owners who upgraded from a turboprop model. The jet has new paint, new interior, low total flight time, low engine time and the TAP Blue comprehensive engine maintenance program. The deal was made within a month, and the new owners were flying shortly after the purchase was completed. Another example of a recent aircraft purchase brokered by Gateway Jets involved a Citation XLS+, a larger business jet than the CJ line featured in this series. Within the two-month period allotted by the buyer, Gateway Jets used their relationships with dealers, brokers and the manufacturer to secure the aircraft at a cost below the retail market value. "All deals are unique," Tomczak said, "and even the most complex acquisitions are managed in a timely manner in a professional way at Gateway Jets. We specialize in three types of aircraft. You can purchase a piston, twin-engine aircraft such as a Cessna 310 or Beechcraft Baron. We also specialize in turboprops, including the SOCATA TBM as well as the entire King Air line of aircraft. For jet aircraft, we specialize in the Cessna Citation jet line, which ranges from the Citation Mustang to the CJ Series all the way up to the stand-up cabin XLS+ and beyond." Each aircraft type fulfills a different flight profile and mission according to the needs of the customer.
Aircraft Management Services
"Some of the services that Gateway Jets oversees in our management package include insurance, crew training, maintenance, cleaning and stocking the aircraft, database updates and FAA regulation compliance," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. These areas are essential for aircraft ownership even before the flight begins. "With Gateway Jets," Tomczak continued, "you will have a friendly, professional flight crew and a clean, safe and ready to go aircraft."
Typically, the aircraft owner will contact Gateway Jets several days in advance of a desired flight. A crew will be assigned, and a flight plan is developed incorporating the closest airport to the destination, lowest available fuel prices, rental cars and hotel accommodations. The aircraft is crewed and ready to fly a half hour before departure time, flight plan is filed, and the flight is ready to launch. Once at the destination, the passengers are met on the apron by the rental car or other ground transportation arrangement and a productive day in a new city can begin. Gateway Jets offers flexibility to the aircraft owner during the trip. The crew and the aircraft can stay at the destination during the trip or return to the home airport depending on customer needs and the most cost-effective option. The crew will prepare the aircraft for the next flight and ensure that it is clean and secure during the layover. The following videos illustrate the Citation CJ and Citation Mustang, both managed by Gateway Jets. For more information about acquiring your next aircraft and the management services offered by Gateway Jets, contact Gateway Jets today.
The Cessna CitationJet, or CJ, line of aircraft has made owning and operating a business jet accessible and affordable for more people in recent years. The CJ1 through CJ4 offer a combination of performance and efficiency to fly up to eight people on trips from 500-1000nm. In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, we featured a CJ managed by Gateway Jets in St. Louis. Now in Part 3, The Aero Experience will discuss the aircraft acquisition process with the President of Gateway Jets, Corey Tomczak. Gateway Jets provides aircraft management services from initial purchase to all aspects of air operations, maintenance and compliance. Corey Tomczak and his team are ready to help the buyer navigate the acquisition process from concept to reality. "We like to break it down into three parts of the process," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. "Step One is determining which aircraft is right for you. Step Two is finding an aircraft in the market and getting an offer accepted. And Step Three is the closing process." Tomczak also mentioned that determining if an aircraft purchase is even appropriate for the prospective buyer is an essential part of the initial consultation. Step One: Determine the Best Aircraft for the Mission Once an informed decision to purchase an aircraft is made, the acquisition process continues with a more in-depth review of the buyer's needs and resources. "We go over your finances, your mission, we evaluate how many people are going on the trip and what's important to you - upfront costs or on-going carrying costs," Tomczak explained. "These factors allow us to determine if it is a piston aircraft, a turboprop, a jet, a large jet. This varies greatly depending on where you'd like to go and how many people you are carrying. Once we determine which aircraft is right for you, we go over all the variables and come up with a proposal that covers every aspect of aircraft ownership. This includes training, maintenance, insurance - every little piece of the puzzle." Step Two: Search for the Best Aircraft and Make an Offer Once the aircraft type and model are chosen, then it is time to check the market for the best possible aircraft to meet the buyer's needs. "We look for an aircraft that meets your budget, aircraft age, flight hours and location," Tomczak continued. "After we determine which aircraft is right for you, we start the offer stage. Gateway Jets puts in an offer on your behalf and, if accepted, we draft a purchase agreement covering all the details." This is where attorneys of both the buyer and seller review the agreement before moving forward. Step Three: Closing the Deal "At this point," said Tomczak, "we've agreed on a price, we've agreed on a plane. Now we discuss who will do the pre-purchase inspection. An independent party looks at every piece of the aircraft, including the logbooks, to make sure it is as represented and safe." The closing process involves additional interested parties: buyer and seller attorneys; accountants; tax specialists; and financial institution representatives. Gateway Jets, as the broker, keeps the process moving forward to a successful conclusion.
Gateway Jets is your source for aircraft management services from acquisition to flight operations and fleet upgrades. In Part Four of this series, we will explore the advantages of using aircraft management services offered by Gateway Jets. For more information, contact Gateway Jets and check out Part One and Part Two of this series.
The Aero Experience recently visited with Corey Tomczak, owner and President of Gateway Jets, to get a preview of the new hangar. Aircraft access is provided via a taxiway to the new adjoining apron, and a 100-foot long, bi-fold door allows easy movement in and out of the hangar for most corporate jet types. 
