Episode 5 with Mr. Rick Wolfer

Episode Summary

Dr. Adnan Branbo’s guest on the 5^th episode of AVIAPRENEURS is Mr. Rick Wolfer. Mr. Rick Wolfer is an Aviapreneur who spent little less than half a century in the general aviation industry. Rick was enlisted with the U.S. Air Force & U.S. State Department for 21yrs. Upon retiring Rick obtained his FAA Dispatchers license and has worked for all 4 US international Trip planning companies: Air Routing International, Base OPS (WFS), Jeppesen, and Universal Weather and Aviation. Taking that experience with him, Rick became the Director of Flight Operations for Paul Allen’s (co-founder of Microsoft) private FAA P91 flight department.  Within this flight department they coordinated the domestic travel schedule for 3 professional sports teams (Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks, and the Portland Trailblazers). From there, Rick worked for a short time with a P135 charter company before going out on his own to form an international trip support services company. Currently, Rick is the President of Atlas Trip Support which is based in their 45ft Class A motorhome.  When they are not visiting clients throughout the U.S. in the Spring and Summer, they are based in Parker, AZ along the Colorado river.

Watch this episode to know Mr. Rick Wolfer’s answers to the following questions:

• It’s amazing when I see that despite spending many years of your life in aviation, you still have the persistence to continue working in and supporting the aviation industry till today. What the reason behind that? Was aviation your passion since your beginnings?
• How was the move from being an aviation executive working for a big aviation company to setting up your own aviation business? Was this shift hard to make? Did you possess all the skills when you started, or did you struggle to gain what you have missed to be able to run a successful enterprise?
• The international trip planning industry in the US is dominated by big international companies that serve many of the world leading corporate. How could you setup up Atlas and found your own way among these giants? How could you gain the trust of these big companies?
• During your almost 50 years career, I am sure you have encountered strange and funny stories that are more than you can count and remember. Can you share with the listeners of aviapreneurs podcast some of these stories?
• Atlas Trip Support provides flight support services for general aviation operators all over the world. What are the challenges of conducing your business on a global basis, having to deal with regulations, economics and logistics that cross one country borders?
• What advice do you wish to give to those aviators and aviation professionals who want to start their aviation business one day?

All of this and more on the 5^th episode of AVIAPRENEURS!