By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Grand Rapids-based Northern Jet Management is looking for pilots for the three new jet aircraft the company will add to its fleet this year. The job openings come on the tail of phenomenal 64 percent growth since 2002: growth from 70 employees to 110, and a revenue jump from $17 million to $28 million.
In the last six months, alone, Northern Jet added five pilots, two schedulers, and a southeast Michigan sales rep.
The driving force is a sister company, The Company Jet, an innovative concept that enables corporations to purchase shares of jets to use for cross-country meetings without the hassle of airports, flight delays and, perhaps most frustrating, non-existent flight services to the very cities where they need to do business.
“After the World Trade Center was attacked, I knew the airlines would have trouble with all the security issues and it would become more and more difficult for companies to do the business they need to do and travel,” says Chuck Cox, founder and owner. “We can leave in the morning, make three stops, and be home for dinner.”
West Michigan corporations also use the service to bring their clients here to tour the corporate facilities.
“It’s a business resource that helps West Michigan businesses stay strong,” Cox says. “Many times clients don’t want to visit because of the same delays experienced when flying the commercial airlines.”
One share (100 hours of flight time) costs $1,140,000; a monthly fee of $12,450 for fixed expenses and an hourly rate of $1,850 per to cover fuel and engine overhauls. A pickup service, where the plane must be flown to another location to get a client or a client’s guest, is no cost.
Source: Charles R. Cox, Northern Jet Management; Rick Kamel, RK Public Relations (courtesy photo of Chuck Cox)
Deborah Johnson Wood is the development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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