New Air Taxi Association Launched

ATLANTA, June 21, 2007 (BusinessWire) – The Air Taxi Association (ATXA) today formally announced its launch with the backing of major next-generation air taxi providers in the United States alongside initial air taxi providers in Europe.  The organization will unite the air taxi industry and provide services to increase demand for personal air travel at business airline prices.

Principal air taxi companies on the Air Taxi Association’s policy-setting board include DayJet, Earthjet, ImagineAir, JetBird, JumpJet, Linear Air, TaxiJet Spain, and SATSair, among other leading air taxi providers.  Dr. Bruce Holmes, DayJet Director of Aeronautical Research, will serve as ATXA Chairman of the Board.  Described as a father of the air taxi industry, Holmes served as a research pioneer at NASA for over 30 years where he led strategic development for the Langley Research Center with investments of $700 million and over 4,000 people.

 “DayJet helped inspire the formation of the Air Taxi Association, and we applaud its launch,” Holmes said.  “I’m honored to serve the Air Taxi Association and the next generation air taxi industry as the ATXA Chairman of the Board.  Together, ATXA members will work to set industry standards that benefit all of aviation and air taxi service worldwide.”

Designed to complement existing aviation organizations and infrastructure, the Air Taxi Association’s members will set key business standards.  The ATXA will also work with technology providers and partner companies to create policies that will benefit the emerging industry.  In addition, the organization will establish a unified focus to improve relations with the general aviation industry, as air taxi providers offer complementary services via underutilized, secondary airports.

“There is such a strong need for increased market awareness of the air taxi value proposition,” said Steve Hanvey, SATSair President and CEO.  “That is why we are enthused about the Air Taxi Association as a group to bridge the industry and focus on driving market demand.”

To drive market demand, the ATXA will reach out with tailored consulting services to communities and businesses to help them attract air taxi services to their area. The association will analyze the tangible economic development and profitability benefits of additional direct service. Targeted sales and marketing services will also be provided to ATXA members and related organizations.  

“The Air Taxi Association represents the next evolution in air travel, one that is complementary to our incredible worldwide aviation infrastructure,” said Joe Leader, ATXA President.  “This is about getting people off crowded roadways and into our open skies on direct flights.  Away from major hubs, secondary airports allow air taxi passengers to arrive 15 minutes before departure and quickly take off to their end destination.”

As an expert on very light jets and next generation air taxis, with the first business Ph.D. dissertation worldwide on the subjects, Joe Leader worked with industry leaders in forming the Air Taxi Association and now serves as its President.  With more than a dozen years of executive experience at both entrepreneurial and multi-billion dollar companies, Leader will use the combination of his professional and academic expertise to build bridges across the industry.  Leader’s research book, titled Takeoff Velocity: The Air Taxi and VLJ Impact on the Future of Business Travel, is being published and will be available September 30 via retailers online including Amazon.com, Amazon.com.uk, Borders, Target, and Walden Books.

“The Air Taxi Association offers its members an opportunity to drive industry standards and public awareness of lower cost point-to-point air taxi service” said Dean Rotchin, Earthjet Inc. CEO. “We’ve spent considerable time with Joe Leader, and decided that his passion for the evolution of this industry, as well as his keen understanding of the important business issues, make him a strong and trusted advocate for the next generation air taxi marketplace.”

On Thursday, June 28, Leader will present the keynote address at the Very Light Jet - Europe conference. It will be held in Vienna, Austria, where the ATXA will reach out to new European members.  Hosted by MIU Events, the two-day Very Light Jet - Europe conference covers every aspect of the emerging very light jet and air taxi marketplace from a European perspective.  Leader’s keynote will highlight how the next generation air taxi industry will benefit from increased profitability, common infrastructure elements, and accelerated growth.

“Providing private air travel at airline prices, Linear Air's mission aligns perfectly with the charter of the Air Taxi Association in speeding the growth of our next generation air taxi service,” said Linear Air CEO William Herp.  “Working with ATXA, all air taxi companies stand to benefit from common information technology system advancements that combine inventory and offer a broader scope of geographic service options to customers.”

More information about the launch of the industry leading Air Taxi Association may be found at www.atxa.com.   Additional information about the Very Light Jets - Europe event is available at http://www.miuevents.com/.