Petaluma, CA based Sunset Aviation, LLC officially announced its formation today with a marquis management team, comprised of leadership from the former Sunset Aviation, Inc. and JetDirect Aviation. Sunset Aviation, LLC will operate more than 40 aircraft from bases throughout the US, including California, Washington, Utah, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, New York, and Florida.
Dan Drohan will serve as the new company’s President and CEO. Drohan’s senior management team will include industry veteran Jake Cartwright, as well as John King and Greg Petersen. Also joining the management team are Mark Spindler, Dave Weil and Marla McGatlin, all former JetDirect senior executives. The company’s headquarters are in Petaluma, CA with plans to open a south-San Francisco Bay “large cabin division” office within 30 days. The new company expects to receive its FAA authorization for operations under a new Part 135 certificate in the next seven days.
“We are really pleased to be moving forward with this new venture” said Dan Drohan, who also pointed out that the company is completely independent and separate from Sunset Aviation, Inc./JetDirect, which filed for Charter 7 bankruptcy protection this week. “We are very optimistic about the future for the new Sunset and we have planned for, and anticipate, strong growth in the coming months despite the challenging economic environment. Sunset Aviation, LLC has significant opportunity on the horizon and we are working hard to ensure a measured and stable approach to it.”
The company intends to re-brand in the coming months, an effort being taken on in part to differentiate and distinguish itself from the former JetDirect owned Sunset Aviation, Inc. “We are going to build a great aviation company here” said partner Jake Cartwright, “and our new company needs a name and image that is in line with that”.
The new company employs over 80 people, having hired most of the former Sunset Aviation, Inc. employees when they were laid off by JetDirect last week. “We have one of the most talented teams in the industry, and to say that our passion has been ignited with no former ties to either of the prior companies would be an understatement. It’s been an interesting journey, to say the least, and we’re all really looking forward to getting back to building and operating a good company – doing what we love with people we like. It’s really that simple…” Drohan added.