On January 24, Open Air was granted a Part 135 air carrier certification to operate its fleet of brand-new Cirrus SR22s for on-demand air-taxi service out of Montgomery County Airpark (GAI) in Gaithersburg, Md., about 20 miles outside of Washington, D.C. Flying from the back yard of arguably the most sensitive and restrictive airspace in the country, Open Air's "exclusive air-taxi service" offers "non-stop and 'door-to-door' concierge service throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast," according to a company press release.
The company touts the the SR22's safety — the piston single comes standard with a ballistic parachute — and comfort features (leather, climate control, XM satellite radio and Bose noise-canceling headsets) and also notes the aircraft accommodates up to three passengers and one "FAA-certified airline captain." Beyond the jargon, this means they've taken a training program and been FAA certified as a captain. Open Air says one-way pricing will keep customers from paying for dead-heading aircraft and crew, and the company intends to spoil clients by going the extra mile with offers like the Broadway, Atlantic City and Spa packages it already has available online.
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