Little Hawk Logistics, based at Charlottesville–Albemarle airport in Virginia, is reporting a strong 2020 in the midst of COVID. “After the lockdowns lifted at the end of May the charter demand exploded for both our aircraft,” says company president and owner/pilot Eric Walden. “In June and July alone both aircraft flew nearly 200 hours. We closed the year with nearly 800 hours flown between the two TBMs.”

Plans this year include bringing on an additional TBM pilot to support both aircraft. “I also plan to add another TBM 900 to add to lift out of Culpeper to provide service for the northern Virginia band DC area,” reveals Walden.

Little Hawk faces challenges from the rising costs of single engine and single pilot insurance, which Walden says has nearly tripled in the past three years. “I expect fuel prices to rise also as demand for gas returns and the new administration imposes restrictions and taxes on that commodity,” he adds. “There will be highly restrictive international travel rules in place that will make trips to certain areas of our area of operation more difficult. But those same restrictions will move some clients out of the commercial market and into the charter world.

“The corner of that market that we have carved out will continue to expand as more entry level charter clients find that they can easily justify the expense of my aircraft. The cost per mile on the TBM is unmatched on the routes that we most often fly, and even longer flights are still comparable to much more expensive options.”

Little Hawk operates a TBM 850 from Charlottesville and a TBM 900 from Roanoke to destinations all over North America and the western hemisphere.