Change Your Life

Take the wheel and fly with Open Air.
By Shannon McLaughlin

Before this week, I went my entire life being the only person I knew who had never flown on an airplane. Cruising in a luxurious private plane, flying above Bucks County at over 200 mph, I stared wide-eyed, gliding through the air in a Cirrus SR22-GTS Aircraft. I watched tiny little cars pass by the bite-sized Mercer Museum from far up above, wondering why flying was something my family came to dread. The long lines, crying babies, inevitable flight delays, passengers invading your personal space—all could easily be avoided by flying with Open Air, an air carrier based in the Washington DC metropolitan area and now servicing your own backyard in Bucks and Montgomery counties.

The regional point-to-point air carrier company is co-owned by Michael Klein, a pilot and podiatrist, who has been dreaming big since he can remember.
“I’ve always wanted to fly, ever since I was little. Every boy wants to be an astronaut,” said Klein, who was inspired to learn how to fly after a helicopter ride to Las Vegas with his wife, Barhareh Klein.

“Michael was sitting up front with the pilot and asking questions about everything,” said Barhareh. “Shortly after we got back home, he signed up for lessons at the airport. I remember thinking, ‘I’ll be the cool wife and let him try it out!’ Little did I know that a little chopper trip would be the beginning of Open Air.”

It was at a flight club where Klein met Boni Caldeira, who at the time was a master independent flight instructor. Together, with some friends, they joined forces to create Open Air. “I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal, but two years later I was going through the rules and regulations to obtain our charter certificate,” said Klein.

Shortly after Open Air started operating, Boni became an employee of Cirrus Aircraft, where he is the currently the Regional Sales Director at Cirrus Design for Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Northern Virginia. The company purchased their first airplane and started officially operating in January 2006. Since then, Open Air has added seven planes to their fleet, with fourteen pilots who are entering their third year of flight operations.

“When you go up there, it’s freedom. Within a few hours you can be in New York, Boston or the Outer Banks,” said Klein, who has ventured as far as Egypt on the company’s elite Cirrus aircraft. “The biggest advantage at Open Air is that you are buying time and convenience. You can go to Doylestown, get out of your car and jump into the plane. It’s really no different than walking out of your door and hopping into your car,” said Klein.

In addition to catering to personal and business needs, Open Air transports organs, cancer medications and aircraft parts. They pride themselves in being a high-end, top notch service and are available within an hour of your phone call if need be. For an incredibly unique holiday gift, consider reserving one of the many customizable packages offered, including their popular NYC Theater Package.

No one knows better than Michael Klein’s mother, Karen Klein, about how memorable the Open Air travel packages are. “I had surgery in August for recurring ovarian cancer and I was feeling kind of low and a little bit afraid. Michael told me that he wanted to take me to New York City for the weekend. I said, ‘You’re crazy!’ The next thing I knew I was in the front seat of a plane, with the XM Radio going, wearing Bose headphones. We had a limo driver waiting for us and they dropped us off in downtown New York—I felt like a celebrity. I just had surgery and didn’t even know I had it because I was having so much fun,” said Karen.

Rick Ianieri, Director of Business Development for Open Air, has also been interested in flying since a young age. “I can say that my earliest memory is my father taking me to see the Blue Angels at the Willow Grove Airbase when I was four years old. It was the most unbelievable thing I had ever seen. After hundreds of air shows, I still cannot pass one up,” said Ianieri, who has since mastered flying and even purchased his own Cirrus SR-22 Aircraft.

Open Air is the largest Cirrus air taxi company in the United States. From taking a stress-free business trip to impressing someone with an unforgettable first date, Open Air offers endless flying opportunities. To inquire about special holiday packages or for more information, call (888) 353-0891 or visit www.flyopenair.com.

Shannon McLaughlin is Bucks & Montgomery Living Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and can proudly say her first ever flying experience was with Open Air.