Chief Pilot Ben Petersen Named Director of Operations
LENEXA, Kan., September 30, 2020 — Airshare, one of the nation’s largest private aviation companies offering fractional ownership, jet cards, whole aircraft management, and charter services, today announced Alex Franz has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer.
Franz, 44, joined Airshare in 2003 and has advanced through a number of positions including First Officer, Captain, Base Manager, Check Airman and Chief Pilot. He previously served as Vice President of Flight Operations, a position he had held since 2018. He is a licensed ATP pilot and is type-rated in several aircraft, including the Embraer Phenom 100 and 300, with more than 6,000 flight hours’ experience.
Ben Petersen has been named Airshare’s new Director of Flight Operations. Petersen previously served as Chief Pilot, where he oversaw all flight operations, training, and crewmember hiring. Petersen joined Airshare in 2007.
“Alex has been a key member of the Airshare team from its earliest days and has been instrumental to our growth and success,” said Airshare Chief Executive Officer John Owen. “He and Ben have drawn on their experience as pilots to play significant roles in building one of the best operations and flight departments in the industry. We look forward to their continued leadership for many years to come.”
Owen attributes Airshare’s growth in part to the company’s history of promoting within for senior leadership positions.
“Our customers’ relationships with our pilots set us apart from the competition, many of whom will typically assign multiple flight crews and aircraft to their customers on any given day,” said Owen. “Our pilots get to know our customers on a first-name basis, establishing familiarity and trust that ensures the highest level of service.”
Owen also credits Franz and Petersen as being instrumental in Airshare earning IS-BAO Stage 3 Certification for safe operations, as well as helping create a culture that has attracted and promoted the highest quality talent in the industry.
“Through our experiences on the front lines with Airshare, Ben and I have learned what it takes to build and lead an exceptional operations team,” said Franz. “Our goal is to surround ourselves with great people who not only possess the skills and experience we need to best serve our customers, but also fit the culture we’re continuing to establish here. In all my years with the company I’ve never been more excited about our future and the opportunities that lie ahead.”
ABOUT AIRSHARE
Airshare serves fractional shareowners and EMBARK® jet cardholders throughout the central region of the United States including Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo.; Chicago, Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio; Denver; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Louisville, Ky.; Cincinnati; Tulsa and Oklahoma City; Wichita, Kan., and Buffalo, N.Y. Airshare offers whole aircraft management and charter services nationwide. It currently operates a fractional fleet of Embraer Phenom 300 and Phenom 100 aircraft, along with several other aircraft in its whole aircraft management division. For more information about Airshare and its services, please visit flyairshare.com.
