Charter flight business taking off in Arlington

Published 4:48 pm Friday, May 8, 2009

ARLINGTON — If this year’s road construction projects have put a damper on your travel plans, one local aviation company has the solution: Charter a flight.

“There are so many obstacles to getting around in a car,” said Cathy Mighell, president of Out of the Blue Aviation in Arlington.

“I think there’s a real market for charter service out of the regional airports,” she said.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued Out of the Blue an air carrier certificate on March 20, allowing the company to provide charter service from the Arlington Airport.

With increased road construction in the Puget Sound region this year, Mighell said she believes she may have timed the market just right. In fact, she views the economic downturn as perhaps a positive for her business.

“Interestingly, when the economy goes down, the demand for charter service increases,” she said.

Businesses that own private jets sell off their aircraft in order to cut costs. But their executives still want to travel on their own schedules, so they turn to companies such as Out of the Blue Aviation, Mighell said. The company generally can accommodate trip requests on short notice.

“When time is money, getting there expeditiously is important,” she said. “We’re completely on demand.”

A charter flight saves travelers the time and hassle of navigating the region’s overcrowded roads and congested ferry system, Mighell said. For example, a flight from Arlington to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island takes less than 30 minutes. That’s less than half the time the ferry takes to get from Anacortes to the island, not counting wait times or driving time to the ferry dock. The cost: $300 for up to three people.

“There are really significant time savings” particularly for trips to hard-to-reach places such as Lake Chelan, the Pacific coast and the San Juans, she said.

Out of the Blue Aviation has been in business at Arlington Airport for more than three years, offering pilot training, aircraft rentals and maintenance services for aircraft owners. The company employs about 10 people. With the new FAA certification, Out of the Blue also can offer cargo service from the Arlington.

Mighell is just getting starting in marketing the charter service. But Out of the Blue already has flown a few charter flights, including one on Tuesday from Port Angeles. Travel to the Olympic Peninsula has been hindered by the six-week-long Hood Canal Bridge closure. Mighell hopes to organize a “Twilight” trip to the peninsula town of Forks, where the popular teen-vampire novel is set.

But Out of the Blue’s Mighell plans to grow the service slowly, starting out with two airplanes and one pilot. The company’s four-seat aircraft includes a Cessna 172 and a Cessna 182. The Cessnas can land at most regional airports.

“It’s ideal for a small group,” she said.

Charter service

For more information on Out of the Blue Aviation’s charter service from Arlington, call 360-474-1060.