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Central Coast Jet Heart has huge financial affect on area | Enterprise

Erica Schulz

Whereas some folks may consider the Santa Maria Airport as a considerably ‘sleepy’ operation, the Central Coast Jet Heart situated on the south facet of the airport property is buzzing alongside and rising right into a prime vacation spot within the aerospace and protection aviation trade.

Jim Kunkle, President of CCJC and Chris Kunkle, VP of Operations for CCJC discuss concerning the historical past of their enterprise, the affect that’s has on the encompassing Santa Maria Valley economic system and the longer term for the airport and the Central Coast Jet Heart.

Study extra concerning the Central Coast Jet Heart on their web site – http://www.centralcoastjetcenter.com/contact-us/

Learn extra about enterprise within the Santa Maria Valley on SantaMariaTimes.com and discover out extra concerning the work of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce on their web site – https://santamaria.com/




This month’s Chamber Highlight options the Central Coast Jet Heart at the Santa Maria Airport, 1211 Quotation Courtroom.

Molly Schiff, director of member and neighborhood engagement for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, talked with Jim Kunkle, president of CCJC and Chris Kunkle, vp of operations for CCJC, concerning the historical past and way forward for the enterprise and the way the Santa Maria Valley has been an important place for progress.

Take heed to the complete interview on-line at santamariatimes.com, or watch a video highlight of CCJC on the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce web site.

Whereas the sights and sounds of the airport could be noticeable to most individuals, Chris Kunkle identified that many individuals within the Santa Maria Valley won’t actually perceive the financial affect of the Jet Heart. They usually have been exhausting at work increasing that affect, each on different Santa Maria companies and as a topflight aviation facility. 

The Jet Heart was not too long ago named one of many prime 10 rising Fastened Base Operations (FBO) by Aerospace & Protection Evaluate journal. They’ve additionally hosted an academic seminar for 15 congresspeople and 60 congressional workers concerning the connection between firefighting and aviation. Plans are within the works for a return of the Central Coast Airfest, presumably in 2022.



Jim Kunkle, Central Coast Jet Center President

Jim Kunkle, Central Coast Jet Heart president.




“We now have to look at all the protocols and every part however I feel, hopefully, 2022 would be the 12 months that we deliver it again, deliver that pleasure and a few noise again to Santa Maria,” Chris Kunkle stated. 

After Thunder over the Valley, the return of a serious airshow to the Santa Maria Valley elevated the native visibility of CCJC, however their on a regular basis financial affect hasn’t at all times been as noticeable.

Along with offering housing choices for personal and company plane, CCJC additionally gives fueling and companies for the airport, america Forest Service, Cal Fireplace and army contractors.

“Final week, we had an operation of the Air Drive out of Nellis Air Drive Base; it is a take a look at squadron and so they introduced three Blackhawks and a C130. That they had 90 folks present up right here for per week,” Chris Kunkle stated.

Whereas large-scale operations from the Air Drive or company companions have huge periodic affect, and massive occasions just like the airshow draw crowds to the airport, the Kunkles each stated that they take delight within the on a regular basis financial affect that CCJC has locally.  



Air taxi service Verijet sets up base at Santa Maria Public Airport

“With one airplane and a lead-in airplane, there’s a mixture of 10 to fifteen folks,” Chris Kunkle stated about having hearth groups based mostly at CCJC. “These individuals are consuming, they’re locally, they’re supporting native companies whether or not it is shopping for requirements, or meals, or simply going and doing enjoyable issues right here.” 

Much more essential than the financial affect of the fireplace operation groups, the flexibility to rapidly reply to native wildfires is a singular and probably lifesaving profit to the Central Coast. 

“We’re lucky up to now for the area people [fire season] has been kind of delicate down right here,” stated Jim Kunkle. “We nonetheless presently have an air tanker with us and so they normally go off and go struggle fires wherever and so they come again at evening.



Chris Kunkle, Central Coast Jet Center VP of Operations

Chris Kunkle, Central Coast Jet Heart vp of operations




“However, we simply had a small hearth in Santa Ynez two days in the past and having this gear accessible to do an preliminary assault on native fires is priceless.” 

And the Central Coast Jet Heart seems ahead to increasing operations. “We are able to go from as few as three or 4 [flights] a day on an actual quiet day to if we’re doing our company, army or firefighting, we are able to have a pair hundred operations a day,” Jim Kunkle stated. 

And as Chris Kunkle identified, area to accommodate plane is getting tougher and tougher to seek out in Southern California, Santa Barbara and even Camarillo.

Consequently, increasingly more folks could be making the flight to the Central Coast Jet Heart, consuming at a neighborhood restaurant, having fun with some nightlife and staying in a neighborhood resort. 

The Santa Maria Instances has partnered with the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce to spotlight native companies in Santa Maria and in Orcutt which have constructed their enterprise futures right here.

In an effort to point out the affect that these companies have on lives and communities within the Santa Maria Valley, we publish two enterprise profiles a month, and one highlight video by which a digital ambassador from the Chamber sits down and talks with a neighborhood enterprise about why they made the selection to open right here.



Central Coast Jet Center President Jim Kunkle and VP of Operations Chris Kunkle

Central Coast Jet Heart President Jim Kunkle, left, and Vice President of Operations Chris Kunkle on the jet middle in Santa Maria.




Compiled by Jason Anderson, digital producer for the Santa Maria Instances. He could be reached at 805-739-2213.

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