 |
FUEL |
| AV GAS: $5.74 | |
| JET A: $6.25 | |
 |
WEATHER |
| |
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|||||||||
OUR PEOPLE
Bob knows aviation. He has more than 5,400 flight hours in 13 aircraft. He flew in the first B-1B Air National Guard Wichita River Festival fly-by. He flew along side Soviet bombers during the “cold war” above the Arctic Circle in an F-15 fighter. With more than 26 years flying, nine years as a civilian pilot and 17 years as a military pilot, Bob knows what pilots need, and want. And he knows how to run a flight organization. Through a team of managers, he oversees management of the FBO and Charter department.
In 23 years with Midwest Corporate Aviation, Brian’s learned a thing or two about the place. He’s the one who oversees charter, scheduling, line service, customer service and accounting. Accounting and operations are his expertise, but he’s most proud of his history with the Life WATCH and LifeTeam programs. He’s also learned a thing or two about community service. He’s on his church finance council, a USD 267 school board member and treasurer of area summer ball club. Brian’s long history with MCA has led to his most memorable, and embarrassing, moments. His most memorable flying experience was with MCA owner, Marvin Autry, in a T-34. MCA Christmas parties seem to led to most of his embarrassing moments, but you’ll have to ask him about that!
 Marvin Hesket, chief pilot
Those who know Marvin know that you don’t get many surprises from him. A sturdy, strong and dependable pilot since 1977, he’s steady hand instills confidence in all his passengers. Maybe it was the time he spent flying helicopters for the Army in Vietnam. Or the 16 years spent flying for Fortune 500 companies. Or just the simple fact he has 18,000-plus flight hours. Experience counts, and Marvin’s got it. Leadership by example is his mantra. One time he took a 3:30 AM pop-up call from a charter outfit that broke down during a fuel stop in Western Kansas. The New York passenger had promised his daughter he would reach her in Los Angeles before she went into a major surgery. Even though the other pilot said it was impossible to make it, Marvin did. Flying at 25,000 feet and burning 35% more fuel, he got the passenger there with time to spare.
|
What gives Steve most pride in his job is receiving a thank you note from a customer. Or having a prospect arrive to find the aircraft exceeds expectations. He has 25 years of experience in aviation and a ton of aviation stories to share, just ask him. Herding cattle from a helicopter. Traveling to both coasts in single engine Cessnas. Even as a child he expressed his love of aviation. Every time his family drove past the Beech Aircraft Co. factory, just a mile from his home, he pleaded with his dad to purchase one of the airplanes on the ramp. “Please! Just one of the little ones,” he would beg. The most infamous tale he tells is about his mother. She was a graphic designer at Beech assigned to technical manuals. One day, Olive Ann Beech was in the publication building and asked the artists for company logo ideas. Steve’s mother doodled out the stylistic “B” on the spot. It became the new logo.
Making customers happy and receiving positive feedback is what Shellie enjoys most about her position with MCA. She’s the one who goes out of her way on a daily basis to ensure happy customers, and always with a grin from ear-to-ear. What if someone was seeing to her happiness? They’d need to be flying her in a GulfStream to Las Vegas, baby!
|
Bob Karslake, president and director of flight operations
Brian Strunk, vice president, chief financial officer
Steve Dunne, president, MCA Aircraft Sales
Shellie Foster, Charter Coordinator