Hillwood Airways, a Perot company has received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as the nation’s newest Part 121 Supplemental Air Carrier, which authorizes the company to market and provide passenger and cargo charter air transportation services worldwide.
The airline certification is part of a strategic growth initiative by Hillwood to enhance the multi-modal global transportation capabilities of its 18,000-acre AllianceTexas Development in Fort Worth, Texas. In recognition of its total commitment to safety, Hillwood Airways became only the second airline to meet the FAA’s stringent Part 5 Safety Management Systems for Air Carriers rule during initial certification. Airlines of record prior to January 2015 have been given until March 2018 to comply with the new safety rule.
From its base at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Hillwood Airways offers a superior, luxury domestic and international travel option to high-end corporate clients, sports teams, governments, entertainment and other special interest groups using its uniquely capable Boeing airliner. The first aircraft to be operated by the airline, a Next-Generation Boeing 737-700C series airliner, exhibits advanced performance and operational efficiency while offering two distinct interior configurations: 36 all-leather VIP seats, including 8 convert-to-lay-down-beds; and a higher-density version utilizing up to 94 all-leather VIP seats.
The Hillwood Airways BBJ also has an all-cargo configuration available allowing for carriage of cargo weighing up to 30,000 pounds to be loaded through the aircraft’s 7-by-11 foot side cargo door, making it especially useful for clients needing to move critical, high-priority cargo. With the addition of six auxiliary fuel tanks, the Hillwood Airways BBJ can be flown up to 5,865 statute miles without refueling and remains one of only a limited number of such aircraft that can be operated at some of the World’s highest airports, such as La Paz, Bolivia and Quito, Ecuador.
“At Hillwood Airways, our mission is to deliver a superior product and client service environment,” said Ross Perot, Jr. “The entire Hillwood Airways team is committed to delivering best-in-class customer service and to enter this new phase of growth with this certification.”
Long-time Director of Aviation, Chief Pilot, and Hillwood-Perot veteran, Ched Bart was tapped to lead Hillwood Airways as President and CEO and Scott Bohnenkamp will serve as Vice President and General Manager. Including his 30 years at Hillwood-Perot, Ched Bart brings over 40 years of experience in professional aviation management, including over 17,000 hours flight time as pilot-in-command, and over 10 years in operational control of FAA certificated operators providing air carriage to the public. Scott Bohnenkamp is a Navy-Marine Corps veteran and retired Navy Captain, bringing over 40 years experience in military and civilian aviation, including over 6,700 hours flight time, to his position.
“From our beginnings, we have slowly but steadily grown our Hillwood Airways family to what it is today,” Ched Bart said. “We have every expertise we need, from operations, to facilities, to pilots and are excited to deliver a new level of excellence to air charter services.”
