2015 Dynamic Dozen No. 9: Burgess Aircraft Management LLC

Burgess Aircraft Management LLC, operating as OzAir Charter Service at the Springfield-Branson National Airport, saw business climb to revenues of $4.85 million in 2014.

Managing partner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Burgess attributes the 70 percent growth from 2011’s revenue of $2.85 million to varying its services.

“You’ve got to stay diversified and meet the demands of the market,” Burgess says. “You can’t just survive on day-to-day charters, although we stay extremely busy.”

Part of that busy schedule is meeting the demands of clients who use OzAir’s charter flight service, a market into which Burgess says the company has made significant inroads across the country. Round trip charter estimates range from $3,400 for a single engine craft’s flight to Dallas up to $26,300 for a mid-sized jet to Las Vegas, according to the company’s website.

“I’d say 35 to 40 percent of our flights don’t even originate here,” he says, adding the company’s competitive pricing and track record has steadily built a name in the industry. “We’ve also seen an increase in the Springfield market, but we’ve got a reputation now of being a company that will deliver on a short notice.”

OzAir started in mid-2007, before the economic downturn, in a business that can be considered a luxury.

“You had a lot of these companies in town with airplanes they could no longer justify keeping, and at the same time they couldn’t justify selling them,” Burgess says. “We were able to come in and figure out ways to manage the aircraft for them, to sell some charter for them, to help subsidize the cost and now the economy is coming back around.”

Two marks employees attempt to meet, both in the air and on the ground, are attention to detail and customer service, which Burgess says includes everything from providing what passengers want to eat or drink on board to cleaning and detailing their vehicle by the time they return.

“When you’re paying the kind of money you’re paying to go fly with (us), we want to make sure that we’re cognizant,” he says.

Burgess says the company has diversified its operations by providing backup mechanics and parts on an as-needed basis for Envoy Airlines’ maintenance base at the Springfield airport, and backup aircraft for regionally based organ transplant carriers Mid-America Transplant Services and Midwest Transplant Network.

“From an aircraft standpoint, we’re doing some stuff with Veterans Airlift Command,” Burgess says, noting the organization transports veterans to and from hospital visits. “If we have an empty plane going someplace and I can match up the trip, we try to grab all those we can.”

Recently, OzAir leased the largest space at the airport’s general aviation expansion for construction of a new 22,500-square-foot hangar, and has signed letters of intent for three more spaces where it plans to sublease hangars and office areas to other businesses with corporate aircraft. With a couple of airplanes and employees each year, OzAir has eight aircraft and a dozen employees.

“I think as the economy continues to do well, so will our business,” he says.[[In-content Ad]]