RAI Jets, a part 135 operator headquartered at Kalamazoo Battle Creek International airport in Michigan, has established RAI Jets Service Center, an FAA designated Part 145 repair station.

“We have pursued this designation for nearly two years and are proud of everything our team has done to make it happen,” says director of operations David Riley. “RAI Jets Service Center will operate as a sister company to RAI Jets LLC and is a testament to our ongoing dedication to providing stellar aircraft maintenance as part of our overall aircraft management operations.”

Although operating as a separate entity known as RAI Jets Service Center, both companies will serve customers from RAI Jets' two southwestern Michigan locations at Kalamazoo Battle Creek International in Portage and Kirsch Municipal airport in Sturgis.

“The opening of our Part 145 repair station puts us in a position for additional growth and is part of our overall plan for expansion in 2021,” Riley adds.

RAI Jets, which was founded at KIRS in 2009 after a long history as a flight school, expanded to a 30,000 sq ft hangar at KAZO in 2016. All repairs will continue to be handled by the same expert, longstanding maintenance team at RAI Jets that the operator's regular and new customers have come to rely on for service. Jet maintenance is part of a suite of aircraft maintenance services that are available at RAI Jets.

As a Part 135 operator, the company offers jet owners the opportunity to offset their operating costs by adding their aircraft to the company's FAA air charter certificate to charter flights when the aircraft is not in use. Aircraft owners can reduce their operating costs by 30 per cent or more working in conjunction with the charter operations at RAI Jets.