LETTER: Flight service

Published 1:30 am Saturday, April 11, 2026

The March 18 article about a membership-based flight service at William R. Fairchild airport, while attempting to sell locals on this idea, inadvertently explains exactly why fractionalizing is not a good fit for this area.

Citizen Air CEO Kelly Kidwell stated, “Fractionalizing … a group of four or eight people could all own the same airplane.”

Yes, a common practice among licensed pilots, often professionals like doctors and lawyers, who typically fly general aviation planes like two- or four-seat aircraft, including the pilot, like Cessna 172s as well as other larger, more complex and more expensive planes, with twin engines or pressurized cabins, like most commercial aircraft.

These planes are used for business or pleasure by folks whose salaries often allow them to write off their expenses, and even still, traditionally fractionalize their initial purchase of said airplane into partial, shared ownership. The fraction part, with partner owners, like one-quarter share for four owners or one-eighth share for eight owners, etc.

This is also a common practice with corporate jets.

My question is, is this the kind of connection the residents of our somewhat isolated area want to our nearest larger commercial airlines, like SeaTac or Paine Field? Owning a part of an airplane? Will it be affordable? Conveniently scheduled to make connecting flights?

DashAir Shuttle’s attempt in 2023 was to use seven to 10 passengers on Cessna 402Cs, on scheduled flights. That seems like a much better model to me.

Richard Coletta

Port Townsend