California-based part 135 operator Sun Air Jets has received Tier 1 status Green Aviation Business certification for its Van Nuys airport location from the National Air Transportation Association (NATA). This is the second of its locations to achieve this designation, its Camarillo airport headquarters was evaluated and met NATA's Sustainability Standard for Aviation Businesses towards the end of 2021.

Director of business development Mary Brehm says: “It was an honour to work closely with the NATA environment committee on this project and other environmental initiatives. Sun Air Jets is very excited to have our Van Nuys location receive this distinctive certification as well.”

The addition of the new green building certified hangars and the facilities on Roscoe Boulevard at Van Nuys airport in October 2021 greatly expands the size of the company's footprint of available space and presence in the Los Angeles area. The two adjoining hangars each have an attached private terminal and office and provide 71,0000 sq ft of new space over 4.4 acres.

To further reduce its carbon footprint, Sun Air Jets continues to regularly make beneficial adjustments. Additional electric vehicle charging stations and FloWater refillable water stations have recently been installed at all of its greater Los Angeles area locations.

The NATA Sustainability Standard for Aviation Businesses is a new sustainability initiative, developed in 2021 and created to provide FBOs, airports and other aviation businesses a self-certification process for pursuing flexible, cost-effective options to lower their carbon footprint.

Developed by a working group under NATA's environment committee, the NATA Sustainability Standard for Aviation Businesses is a free industry standard designed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions including CO2, increase use of more environmentally friendly energy sources, reduce waste and encourage sustainability operation-wide.

“NATA is grateful to Sun Air Jets for its input in developing the standard and leadership as an early adopter. It is inspiring to see our members' enthusiasm for meeting the requirements of this sustainability standard and then raising the bar even higher for greater improvement,” says NATA president and CEO Timothy Obitts.