California Pacific Airlines, the new company taking steps toward offering direct commercial flights to select western cities out of Carlsbad's McClellan-Palomar Airport this year, will create 100 jobs in 2012 and a total of 1,000 new positions within its first 5 years of operation.
That's what the airline's founder and Board Chairman Ted Vallas and President Lawrence A. "Bud" Sitting told the mayors of eight San Diego North County cities during a recent briefing and reception at CP Air's corporate headquarters in the airport.
According to California Pacific Airlines' magazine, the mayors who attended the event were Matt Hall of Carlsbad, Jim Wood of Oceanside, Judy Ritter of Vista, Jim Desmond of San Marcos, Sam Abed of Escondido, Don Mosier of Del Mar, Lesa Heebner of Solana Beach and James Bond of Encinitas.
During the presentation, Vallas and Sitting outlined their company's operational plans to make CP Air the region's hometown airline, detailing how the airline would benefit the region by adding jobs, new local business revenue and offer a better way for passengers to travel.
"We continue to take the necessary steps forward to fulfill our vision to build California Pacific into a true community airline," Vallas stated. "The support from our local leadership will be crucial in helping us make our airline a hometown success."
Vallas noted that in addition to creating jobs directly, CP Air will add to the economy indirectly as well, since flight crews will be based out of the area and will return to Palomar airport nightly.
"We all know for every employed person, there are at least five others in support, contributing a variety of services, facilities and equipment," Vallas said.
The airline's target launch date has been moved to this summer, said CP Air spokesman Tom Morrow, who added that the Federal Aviation Administration's detailed certification process makes the projected timeline "more or less a moving target."
"Leasing arrangements for the first two planes have been negotiated, which means once they arrive at Palomar and we get the green-light from the FAA, flight-crew training can begin for that phase of the certification process," Morrow said in an e-mail. "We should have the planes by spring. But, even that could change. Because of Federal safety and maintenance requirements, achieving airline certification is one of the most difficult processes anywhere. To ensure everything is of the highest standards of safety, this is a long, slow process."
Once it has approval to fly from the FAA, California Pacific Airlines expects to start flying to five cities: San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento, Las Vegas and Phoenix, with later expansions to Cabo San Lucas. Vallas said passengers flying out of the Carlsbad airport will save time and money, spending less time on the road and going through a state-of-the-art terminal.
The airline will operate Embraer 170 planes, which offer multi-class seating and no middle seats. CP Air chose the aircraft because it is one of the quietest airline fleets, complies with environmental specifications and meets Palomar Airport's meet approach standards, according to the magazine.
The city mayors had good words about the company.
"I like the idea of a new employer in our area," Vista Mayor Ritter said. "We really need more jobs in our communities. And, the ease of travel to Sacramento is something I'll really look forward to."
Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall hailed the facility, calling the airline a resource for all of the cities and for San Diego North County.
"We need all the economic help we can get and this will be a great boost."
Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood concurred.
"Not only will it give us an economic boost, but a better transportation corridor, and California Pacific will add much-needed jobs to our regions.
That's what the airline's founder and Board Chairman Ted Vallas and President Lawrence A. "Bud" Sitting told the mayors of eight San Diego North County cities during a recent briefing and reception at CP Air's corporate headquarters in the airport.
According to California Pacific Airlines' magazine, the mayors who attended the event were Matt Hall of Carlsbad, Jim Wood of Oceanside, Judy Ritter of Vista, Jim Desmond of San Marcos, Sam Abed of Escondido, Don Mosier of Del Mar, Lesa Heebner of Solana Beach and James Bond of Encinitas.
During the presentation, Vallas and Sitting outlined their company's operational plans to make CP Air the region's hometown airline, detailing how the airline would benefit the region by adding jobs, new local business revenue and offer a better way for passengers to travel.
"We continue to take the necessary steps forward to fulfill our vision to build California Pacific into a true community airline," Vallas stated. "The support from our local leadership will be crucial in helping us make our airline a hometown success."
Vallas noted that in addition to creating jobs directly, CP Air will add to the economy indirectly as well, since flight crews will be based out of the area and will return to Palomar airport nightly.
"We all know for every employed person, there are at least five others in support, contributing a variety of services, facilities and equipment," Vallas said.
The airline's target launch date has been moved to this summer, said CP Air spokesman Tom Morrow, who added that the Federal Aviation Administration's detailed certification process makes the projected timeline "more or less a moving target."
"Leasing arrangements for the first two planes have been negotiated, which means once they arrive at Palomar and we get the green-light from the FAA, flight-crew training can begin for that phase of the certification process," Morrow said in an e-mail. "We should have the planes by spring. But, even that could change. Because of Federal safety and maintenance requirements, achieving airline certification is one of the most difficult processes anywhere. To ensure everything is of the highest standards of safety, this is a long, slow process."
Once it has approval to fly from the FAA, California Pacific Airlines expects to start flying to five cities: San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento, Las Vegas and Phoenix, with later expansions to Cabo San Lucas. Vallas said passengers flying out of the Carlsbad airport will save time and money, spending less time on the road and going through a state-of-the-art terminal.
The airline will operate Embraer 170 planes, which offer multi-class seating and no middle seats. CP Air chose the aircraft because it is one of the quietest airline fleets, complies with environmental specifications and meets Palomar Airport's meet approach standards, according to the magazine.
The city mayors had good words about the company.
"I like the idea of a new employer in our area," Vista Mayor Ritter said. "We really need more jobs in our communities. And, the ease of travel to Sacramento is something I'll really look forward to."
Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall hailed the facility, calling the airline a resource for all of the cities and for San Diego North County.
"We need all the economic help we can get and this will be a great boost."
Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood concurred.
"Not only will it give us an economic boost, but a better transportation corridor, and California Pacific will add much-needed jobs to our regions.