Company Name: Clipper Aviation Charter
Legal Company Name: Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc. is the name associated with FAA Part 135 certificate 3NVA962L in current FAA-derived operator records. A separate third-party directory identifies the charter business as “Clipper Aviation Charter, LLC,” creating a legal-name inconsistency that should be confirmed directly with the company. (Aeropattern)
Trading / Brand Name: Clipper Aviation
Primary PrivateJetia Category: Private Jet Charter
Secondary Categories: Aircraft Maintenance; Part 145 Repair Station; Pilot Training; Aircraft Parts & Sourcing; Avionics Services; Pre-Purchase Inspection; Jet Card / Membership Program
Company Type: Privately held aviation services company / FAA Part 135 on-demand charter operator
Industry: Business Aviation / General Aviation
Year Founded: Requires Verification. California corporate data indicates Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc. was filed in 2016; its FAA operating certificate dates to September 18, 2018; LinkedIn lists the broader Clipper Aviation organization as founded in 2021. These dates appear to represent different stages of the corporate/brand history rather than a single unambiguous founding date. (BizProfile)
Founder(s): Charles Raffini and James Raffini are identified by Clipper Aviation as Founder & President. (Clipper Aviation)
Headquarters: Van Nuys Airport area, Van Nuys, California, United States
Country: United States
Geographic Markets Served: United States, Canada and Mexico, with broader North American charter access described by the company. (Clipper Aviation)
Official Website: clipperaviation.com
Company Status: Active
Parent Company: Not publicly disclosed / corporate relationship requires verification
Subsidiaries / Major Related Companies: New Clipper Aviation, LLC and New Clipper Aviation Maintenance, LLC appear in corporate/public records associated with the broader Clipper Aviation operation; precise present-day ownership relationships should be confirmed before publication as definitive subsidiaries. (BizProfile)
PrivateJetia Verification Status: Verified Profile with Corporate-Structure Data Gaps

The currently available FAA-derived record identifies Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc. as a FAR Part 135 on-demand commercial charter operator headquartered at 7900 Balboa Blvd., Suite 108, Van Nuys, California, holding certificate 3NVA962L, originally issued September 18, 2018. (Aeropattern)

2. Executive Company Overview

Clipper Aviation is a Van Nuys, California-based general aviation services organization whose principal activities include on-demand private aircraft charter, aircraft maintenance and pilot training. Its charter operation is centered at Van Nuys Airport and operates under FAA Part 135 authority. Current FAA-derived operator information identifies the certificated entity as Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc., certificate 3NVA962L. Clipper’s own website presents a charter fleet focused on the Beechcraft King Air 350 and markets flights across the United States, Canada and Mexico. (Aeropattern)

The broader Clipper Aviation platform extends beyond passenger charter. The company operates a Van Nuys-based Part 145 maintenance business offering scheduled maintenance, avionics installation and troubleshooting, AOG support, pitot-static and transponder testing, pre-purchase inspections, aircraft parts sourcing and other technical services. It states that technicians support piston, turboprop and jet aircraft and identifies relationships with manufacturers and equipment companies including Textron, Piper, Epic, Cirrus, Williams, Continental and Garmin. (Clipper Aviation)

For charter clients, Clipper offers point-to-point private flying, concierge support, ground transportation and lodging coordination, customized catering, pet accommodation and the AltitudeAccess® jet-card-style membership program. The company says that program provides guaranteed availability and defined pricing benefits, subject to membership availability. (Clipper Aviation)

From an industry positioning perspective, Clipper is best classified as a Southern California specialist aviation services platform with a vertically connected charter, maintenance and training model, rather than a large national fractional provider or global fleet operator.

3. Key Facts at a Glance

Brand: Clipper Aviation
FAA Charter Entity: Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc. (Aeropattern)
Headquarters: 7900 Balboa Blvd., Suite 108, Van Nuys, CA 91406, United States (Aeropattern)
Home Airport: Van Nuys Airport
ICAO: KVNY
IATA: VNY
Primary Business: On-demand private aircraft charter
Other Businesses: Aircraft maintenance and pilot training (Clipper Aviation)
FAA Certificate: 3NVA962L
Operating Regulation: FAR Part 135
Certificate Issue Date: September 18, 2018 (Aeropattern)
Current FAA-Derived Certificate Fleet: 4 aircraft as of September 2026 (Aeropattern)
Primary Charter Aircraft: Beechcraft King Air 350
Charter Geography: United States, Canada and Mexico (Clipper Aviation)
Membership Product: AltitudeAccess®
Founders / Presidents: Charles Raffini and James Raffini (Clipper Aviation)
Telephone: +1 855-463-5999
General Email: [email protected] (Clipper Aviation)
Website: Clipper Aviation

4. Services & Capabilities

Primary Services

Private Aircraft Charter

Clipper provides on-demand private air charter from its Southern California base. Its charter marketing centers primarily on Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft, while FAA-derived operating records show additional aircraft types associated with the Part 135 certificate. (Clipper Aviation)

AltitudeAccess® Membership Program

AltitudeAccess is Clipper’s charter membership / jet-card-style product. The company describes benefits including guaranteed availability, transparent pricing and controlled membership levels intended to protect aircraft availability. These are company-reported program characteristics and should not be interpreted as independently audited service guarantees. (Clipper Aviation)

Aircraft Maintenance

Through its maintenance operation, Clipper provides maintenance across piston, turboprop and jet aircraft and describes its facility as an FAA Part 145 repair station. (Clipper Aviation)

Pilot Training

Clipper Aviation operates a flight-training business. The company describes training utilizing Cirrus aircraft and instruction ranging from private-pilot training through advanced ratings. Van Nuys Airport also lists Clipper Aviation among its fixed-wing flight-training providers. (Clipper Aviation)

Specialized Capabilities

Documented capabilities include:

• Beechcraft King Air 350 charter operations
• Customized private charter itineraries
• U.S., Canada and Mexico charter coverage
• AltitudeAccess® charter membership
• Concierge trip coordination
• Ground transportation coordination
• Lodging coordination
• Customized onboard catering
• Pet-friendly charter arrangements (Clipper Aviation)
• Scheduled aircraft inspections and maintenance
• Avionics installation
• Avionics troubleshooting
• AOG / remote maintenance support
• Pitot-static testing
• Transponder testing
• Pre-purchase inspections
• Cross-border transaction support involving on-staff DAR resources
• Aircraft parts sales and sourcing (Clipper Aviation)
• Fixed-wing flight instruction

Clipper states that its maintenance operation facilitates dozens of aircraft transactions annually through pre-closing inspection work. This is a company-reported operational statistic and has not been independently audited. (Clipper Aviation)

5. Industries & Client Types Served

Based on documented activities, relevant client groups include:

• Private aviation passengers
• Business travelers
• Leisure travelers
• UHNW individuals
• Families
• Private aircraft owners
• Aircraft operators
• General aviation operators
• Corporate aviation users
• Aircraft buyers
• Aircraft sellers
• Aircraft brokers requiring inspection support
• Cross-border aircraft transaction participants
• Pilots
• Student pilots
• Aircraft maintenance customers

The company’s maintenance division explicitly states that it serves aircraft owners and operators, while the charter operation addresses both business and leisure travel. (Clipper Aviation)

6. Geographic Coverage

Headquarters Country: United States
State: California
City: Van Nuys / Los Angeles
Full Headquarters Address: 7900 Balboa Blvd., Suite 108, Van Nuys, CA 91406, United States (Aeropattern)
Primary Airport: Van Nuys Airport
ICAO Code: KVNY
IATA Code: VNY

Additional Offices: The current official site primarily presents Van Nuys as the central company location. A Santa Barbara pilot-training operation existed during 2025, although a December 2025 City of Santa Barbara document records an assignment of the relevant lease from New Clipper Aviation LLC to CFI SBA LLC. That location therefore should not be treated as a confirmed current Clipper operating office without further verification. (City of Santa Barbara)

Countries Served:
Company-reported charter coverage includes:

• United States
• Canada
• Mexico (Clipper Aviation)

Regions Served: North America, with particular operational relevance to Southern California and Western U.S. private aviation.

Airports Served: Clipper states that its charter offering can access thousands of airports across North America. A comprehensive airport list is not publicly disclosed. (Clipper Aviation)

Operational Scope: Regional / International North American charter operation

7. Aircraft Expertise

Aircraft Categories

Turboprops

The King Air 350 is the central aircraft platform promoted for Clipper’s charter operations.

High-Performance Piston Aircraft

FAA-derived operator data also associates an SR22T with the Part 135 certificate, while Cirrus aircraft are additionally used within Clipper’s training activities. (Aeropattern)

Jets

The maintenance organization states that its technical capabilities cover jet, turboprop and piston aircraft, although the current charter fleet marketed on the company website is not presented as a conventional jet fleet. (Clipper Aviation)

Manufacturers

Documented aviation manufacturers and equipment providers associated with Clipper’s operations or maintenance capabilities include:

• Beechcraft / Textron Aviation
• Cirrus Aircraft
• Piper Aircraft
• Epic Aircraft
• Williams International
• Continental Aerospace
• Garmin (Clipper Aviation)

The nature and contractual level of each manufacturer relationship may differ. The company’s description of being a “partner” or “Service Center partner” should not be interpreted as identical authorization status across every manufacturer without reviewing the applicable OEM authorization documentation.

Aircraft Models

Beechcraft King Air 350 / BE-300-B300

This is Clipper’s principal documented charter platform. The company promotes a nine-passenger configuration and publishes a maximum range of 1,806 nautical miles and maximum cruise speed of 359 mph for its King Air 350 offering. (Clipper Aviation)

Cirrus SR22T

FAA-derived Part 135 records identify an SR22T among aircraft currently associated with the operating certificate. Cirrus aircraft are also documented within the company’s training operation. (Aeropattern)

8. Fleet Information

FAA-Derived Certificate Fleet: 4 aircraft as of September 2026. (Aeropattern)

The current FAA-derived operator record identifies:

• N22TL: Cirrus SR22T
• N23SY: Beechcraft BE-300/B300
• N350KA: Beechcraft BE-300/B300
• N903J: Beechcraft BE-300/B300 (Aeropattern)

This produces a current certificate-level composition of:

King Air / BE-300-B300: 3 aircraft
Cirrus SR22T: 1 aircraft
Total: 4 aircraft

This differs from some other recently indexed third-party fleet pages that listed two King Air 350s and two SR22Ts. The FAA-derived AeroPattern page was refreshed more recently, on September 17, 2026, and is therefore the preferred current reference for the certificate fleet. (Aeropattern)

Owned Aircraft: Not publicly disclosed
Managed Aircraft: Not reliably established
Charter Aircraft: Four aircraft associated with the FAA Part 135 certificate in September 2026
Primary Charter Category: Executive turboprop
Major Manufacturer: Beechcraft / Textron Aviation
Notable Model: King Air 350
Average Fleet Age: Not independently verified for the current four-aircraft September 2026 configuration
Fleet Geographic Distribution: Primarily based around Van Nuys / Southern California; exact aircraft basing by tail is not fully disclosed.

Because certificate assignment does not necessarily establish economic ownership, PrivateJetia should not label all four aircraft as company-owned without additional title/ownership verification.

9. Company Statistics

FAA Part 135 certificate issued: September 18, 2018 — FAA-derived AeroPattern operator record — current as of September 2026. (Aeropattern)

Aircraft on Part 135 certificate: 4 — FAA-derived operator/aircraft list — September 17, 2026. (Aeropattern)

Aircraft composition: 3 BE-300/B300 and 1 SR22T — FAA-derived fleet record — September 17, 2026. (Aeropattern)

FAA-certificate personnel: 3 people listed against the operating certificate — FAA-derived record — September 17, 2026. This is not equivalent to total company employment. (Aeropattern)

PIC captains listed against certificate: 2 — FAA-derived record — September 17, 2026. (Aeropattern)

LinkedIn company size: 51–200 employees — LinkedIn company-reported range, current indexed profile. This encompasses the broader Clipper Aviation organization and should not be interpreted as the Part 135 carrier’s regulatory headcount. (LinkedIn)

Maintenance customers: Company states that its maintenance and training operations serve hundreds of owners, operators and pilots. Exact customer counts are not disclosed. (Clipper Aviation)

Aircraft transactions supported: Company reports facilitating dozens of transactions annually through pre-purchase inspection services. (Clipper Aviation)

Revenue: Not publicly disclosed
Funding: Not publicly disclosed
Annual flight hours: Not publicly disclosed
Annual charter passengers: Not publicly disclosed
Number of offices: Not independently established
Hangar capacity: Not publicly quantified

10. Certifications & Regulatory Status

FAA Part 135

Status: Verified through current FAA-derived operator information.

Operator: Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc.
Certificate Number: 3NVA962L
Certificate Designator: 3NVA
Regulation: FAR Part 135
Operation: On-demand commercial charter
Original Certificate Issue Date: September 18, 2018 (Aeropattern)

FAA-derived records identify:

Director of Operations: Sean T. Kaveney
Director of Maintenance: Javier Malvaez
Chief Pilot: Mark N. Boss (Aeropattern)

FAA Part 145

Clipper Aviation’s official maintenance site identifies its Van Nuys operation as a Part 145 Repair Station and publishes links to its repair-station certificate and Operations Specifications. (Clipper Aviation)

A company-hosted Western Aeromedical Consortium document identifies New Clipper Aviation Maintenance, LLC, FAA registration/reference number 1MER830B, although the specific certificate shown had an expiration date of January 24, 2026. A new current certificate should therefore be obtained before relying on that individual drug-program document as evidence of present membership. (Clipper Aviation)

ARGUS

Not independently verified.

A current third-party charter database reports no ARGUS rating on file. (Bravo)

WYVERN

Not independently verified.

The same third-party source reports no WYVERN rating on file. (Bravo)

IS-BAO

Not publicly verified.

IS-BAH

Not applicable based on available evidence; Clipper is not presented as an FBO operator.

OEM / Service-Center Relationships

Clipper’s maintenance division reports technical/service relationships with Textron, Piper, Epic, Cirrus, Williams and Continental and also references Garmin among its major industry partners. Specific authorization levels should be evaluated individually rather than treated as a universal blanket OEM authorization. (Clipper Aviation)

11. Industry Memberships

Aircraft Electronics Association

The Aircraft Electronics Association member directory lists Clipper Aviation, Van Nuys, California, with KVNY and company contact information. (Aircraft Electronics Association)

NBAA Membership: Not independently verified from available evidence.

Clipper Aviation Charter is scheduled/listed as an aircraft exhibitor participant at NBAA-BACE, with a Beechcraft King Air 350 represented in the Aircraft Connection directory. Event participation should not be equated with organizational membership. (NBAA-BACE)

EBAA: Not publicly verified
NATA: Not publicly verified
GAMA: Not publicly verified
SCAA corporate membership: Not independently verified

12. Leadership

Clipper Aviation’s official company page identifies the following personnel. (Clipper Aviation)

Founders / Administration

Charles Raffini — Founder & President

Clipper Aviation lists Charles Raffini as Founder & President. His public LinkedIn profile places him in Los Angeles and associates him with Clipper Aviation. (Clipper Aviation)

James Raffini — Founder & President

The company’s official site likewise identifies James Raffini as Founder & President. (Clipper Aviation)

Charter Leadership

Mark Boss — Part 135 Chief Pilot
The company’s own personnel page identifies Boss as Part 135 Chief Pilot, while FAA-derived operating data additionally lists Mark Boss in a CEO field. The precise distinction between regulatory management title and corporate executive title should be confirmed with Clipper. (Clipper Aviation)

Sean Kaveney — Part 135 Director of Operations (Clipper Aviation)

Javier Malvaez — Part 135 Director of Maintenance (Clipper Aviation)

Bryan Ferrell — Chief Pilot (Clipper Aviation)

Marco Soriaga — Assistant Chief Pilot (Clipper Aviation)

Zayne Dietterick — Charter Sales Manager (Clipper Aviation)

Other Publicly Listed Charter Personnel

• Riese McClellan — Charter Pilot
• Alex Garcia — Charter Pilot
• Zach Gunner — Charter Pilot (Clipper Aviation)

Because the company separately identifies both Bryan Ferrell as “Chief Pilot” and Mark Boss as “Part 135 Chief Pilot,” these titles likely relate to different internal/regulatory functions and should remain differentiated.

13. Ownership & Corporate Structure

Ownership Type: Private

LinkedIn identifies Clipper Aviation as a privately held company. (LinkedIn)

The corporate structure requires some caution because several similarly named entities appear across regulatory, corporate and company records.

Current and historical names include:

Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc.
FAA-derived Part 135 certificate holder. (Aeropattern)

New Clipper Aviation, LLC
Appears in public corporate / legal records and in Santa Barbara Airport documentation. (City of Santa Barbara)

New Clipper Aviation Maintenance, LLC
Associated with the Van Nuys maintenance business and FAA maintenance-related records. Public filing information indicates this entity was formerly named Mather Aviation Van Nuys LLC, with the name changed in December 2022. (BizProfile)

Founders: Charles Raffini and James Raffini, according to the official company site. (Clipper Aviation)

Parent Company: Not publicly disclosed with sufficient certainty.

Major Shareholders: Not publicly disclosed.

PrivateJetia should therefore avoid representing these entities as a formally confirmed parent/subsidiary chain until corporate filings or company confirmation establish the precise ownership structure.

14. Company History & Milestones

2016

California corporate information compiled from state filing data indicates that Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc. was initially filed January 13, 2016. (BizProfile)

September 2018

FAA-derived records identify September 18, 2018 as the issue date of Part 135 certificate 3NVA962L for Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc. (Aeropattern)

2019

The entity later known as New Clipper Aviation Maintenance, LLC was originally filed as Mather Aviation Van Nuys LLC in June 2019, according to California corporate information. (BizProfile)

2021

Clipper Aviation’s current LinkedIn profile lists 2021 as the founding year of the broader Clipper Aviation brand/company. The discrepancy with earlier charter-certificate and corporate dates suggests that 2021 may relate to the current ownership, brand or organizational structure. (LinkedIn)

A CLIPPER AVIATION trademark application filed by New Clipper Aviation, LLC dates to November 17, 2021, further supporting 2021 as an important point in the current brand’s development. (Justia Trademarks)

December 2022

Public corporate information records the maintenance entity’s name changing from Mather Aviation Van Nuys LLC to New Clipper Aviation Maintenance, LLC. (BizProfile)

2025

Clipper expanded flight-training activity at Santa Barbara Airport under a lease beginning March 1, 2025. An August 2025 agreement subsequently assigned that lease to CFI SBA LLC, with the Airport Commission considering the assignment in December 2025. (City of Santa Barbara)

2025–2026

The company expanded or refreshed its charter positioning around a King Air 350-focused fleet, AltitudeAccess membership and integrated charter, maintenance and training services. (Clipper Aviation)

September 2026

Current FAA-derived records show four aircraft associated with the Part 135 certificate, consisting of three BE-300/B300 aircraft and one SR22T. (Aeropattern)

15. Strategic Partnerships

Clipper Aviation identifies relationships across several aviation manufacturers and technical providers.

Textron Aviation

Clipper states that its maintenance technicians support Textron aircraft and describes Textron among its trusted service-center partners. (Clipper Aviation)

Piper Aircraft

Identified by Clipper as a maintenance / service-center partner. (Clipper Aviation)

Epic Aircraft

Identified within Clipper’s supported OEM relationships. (Clipper Aviation)

Cirrus Aircraft

Clipper supports Cirrus aircraft through maintenance and also utilizes Cirrus aircraft in its training program. (Clipper Aviation)

Williams International

Listed among Clipper’s maintenance relationships. (Clipper Aviation)

Continental Aerospace

Listed among Clipper’s technical/OEM relationships. (Clipper Aviation)

Garmin

Garmin is cited by Clipper in connection with its maintenance and avionics capabilities. (Clipper Aviation)

FBO Relationships

Clipper states that it works with established FBO chains to support passengers at origin and destination airports, although individual commercial FBO agreements are not publicly detailed. (Clipper Aviation)

16. Key Differentiators

1. King Air 350-Focused Charter Offering

Rather than marketing an extremely broad owned fleet, Clipper emphasizes the Beechcraft King Air 350 as its core executive charter platform. This creates a defined turboprop charter proposition for missions where runway flexibility, cabin size and operating economics are relevant. (Clipper Aviation)

2. Integrated Charter and Maintenance Operations

Clipper combines a Part 135 charter business with an aviation maintenance operation described as a Part 145 repair station, creating direct internal technical capability beyond pure charter brokerage. (Clipper Aviation)

3. Van Nuys Airport Base

Operating from Van Nuys places the company inside one of Southern California’s major business-aviation airport ecosystems.

4. Maintenance Capability Across Multiple Aircraft Classes

Clipper documents support across piston, turboprop and jet platforms rather than limiting its technical operation solely to its charter aircraft. (Clipper Aviation)

5. Pre-Purchase Inspection and Transaction Support

Its maintenance business offers pre-purchase inspections and says on-staff DAR resources are available for cross-border transaction work. (Clipper Aviation)

6. Charter Membership Product

AltitudeAccess creates a recurring charter relationship model alongside conventional ad-hoc charter. (Clipper Aviation)

7. Combined Training Ecosystem

The company also maintains pilot-training capability, linking flight instruction, maintenance and commercial charter within the same broader aviation organization. (Clipper Aviation)

17. Contact & Digital Presence

Main Telephone: +1 855-463-5999 (Clipper Aviation)

Sales Telephone: Not separately publicly disclosed

General Email: [email protected] (Clipper Aviation)

Sales Email: Not separately publicly disclosed

Partnership / Business Development Email: Not publicly disclosed

Address:
7900 Balboa Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91406
United States (Clipper Aviation)

Official Website:
Clipper Aviation official website

Charter Page:
Clipper Aviation Charter

Fleet Page:
Clipper Aviation Fleet

Maintenance:
Clipper Aviation Maintenance

LinkedIn: Clipper Aviation on LinkedIn

Instagram: Not independently verified during this research
YouTube: Not independently verified
X / Twitter: Not independently verified

18. PrivateJetia Market Classification

Primary Market: Business Aviation

Market Segment: On-Demand Private Aircraft Charter

Geographic Position: Southern California-based operator with North American charter reach

Company Scale: Specialist / Regional

Primary Specialization: Beechcraft King Air 350 charter operations

Secondary Specializations: Aircraft maintenance, aviation technical support, pilot training

Typical Customer: Private traveler, business traveler, aircraft owner, operator or pilot requiring charter or technical aviation services

Business Model: Integrated aviation-services model combining charter revenue, membership-based charter access, maintenance services, parts/technical services and flight training

Core Revenue Activities:

• On-demand charter
• AltitudeAccess membership
• Aircraft maintenance
• Avionics
• AOG services
• Inspection services
• Parts sourcing
• Flight training

19. PrivateJetia Taxonomy

Primary Category: Private Jet Charter Companies

Secondary Categories:

• Turboprop Charter Operators
• FAA Part 135 Charter Operators
• Aircraft Maintenance & MRO
• FAA Part 145 Repair Stations
• Aircraft Avionics Services
• Aircraft Pre-Purchase Inspection
• Aircraft Parts & Components
• Pilot & Flight Training
• Private Aviation Membership Programs

Country: United States

Region: North America

State: California

City: Van Nuys / Los Angeles

Airport: Van Nuys Airport

ICAO: KVNY

IATA: VNY

Services:

• Private Aircraft Charter
• On-Demand Charter
• Charter Membership
• Aircraft Maintenance
• Scheduled Maintenance
• Avionics Installation
• Avionics Troubleshooting
• AOG Support
• Pitot-Static Testing
• Transponder Testing
• Pre-Purchase Inspections
• Aircraft Parts Sourcing
• Pilot Training

Aircraft Manufacturers:

• Beechcraft / Textron Aviation
• Cirrus Aircraft
• Piper Aircraft
• Epic Aircraft

Aircraft Models:

• Beechcraft King Air 350 / B300
• Cirrus SR22T

Certifications:

• FAA Part 135
• FAA Part 145, broader maintenance operation

Client Types:

• UHNW Individuals
• Private Travelers
• Business Travelers
• Private Aircraft Owners
• Corporate Aviation Users
• Aircraft Operators
• Aircraft Buyers
• Aircraft Sellers
• Pilots
• Student Pilots

22. Related Company Opportunities

Related Company Types

• Private Jet Charter Operators
• Turboprop Charter Operators
• Aircraft Management Companies
• Aircraft Maintenance & MRO Providers
• FAA Part 145 Repair Stations
• Aircraft Avionics Companies
• Aircraft Parts Suppliers
• Aircraft Inspection Companies
• Pilot Training Organizations
• Jet Card and Charter Membership Providers

Potential Comparable Companies

For editorial comparison rather than direct-competitor designation, PrivateJetia may consider companies operating within overlapping Southern California charter or aviation-service markets, such as:

• Clay Lacy Aviation
• Silver Air
• Advanced Air
• Schubach Aviation
• Desert Jet

Any competitive comparison should account for meaningful differences in fleet, ownership model, Part 135 authority, service scope and customer segment.

23. Sources & Verification

Source 1

Source Name: Clipper Aviation Official Website
Source Type: Official
Information Supported: Brand identity, charter offering, maintenance, address, telephone, email, King Air focus
Publication/Update Date: Current website, indexed 2026
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (Clipper Aviation)

Source 2

Source Name: Clipper Aviation About Us
Source Type: Official
Information Supported: Business divisions, founders, leadership, charter personnel, maintenance personnel, pilot training
Publication/Update Date: Current site
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (Clipper Aviation)

Source 3

Source Name: Clipper Aviation Charter
Source Type: Official
Information Supported: U.S./Canada/Mexico coverage, King Air charter, AltitudeAccess membership
Publication/Update Date: Current site
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (Clipper Aviation)

Source 4

Source Name: Clipper Aviation Fleet
Source Type: Official
Information Supported: King Air 350 configuration and published performance information
Publication/Update Date: Current site
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (Clipper Aviation)

Source 5

Source Name: Clipper Aviation Maintenance
Source Type: Official
Information Supported: Part 145 representation, avionics, AOG, pitot-static testing, pre-purchase inspections, parts, OEM relationships
Publication/Update Date: Current site
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (Clipper Aviation)

Source 6

Source Name: AeroPattern FAA Operator Record
Source Type: Aviation Database using FAA operator/certificate data
Information Supported: Part 135 certificate, issue date, headquarters, regulatory personnel, aircraft roster
Data Current: September 17, 2026
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (Aeropattern)

Source 7

Source Name: Clipper Aviation LinkedIn
Source Type: Company-Managed Professional Network Profile
Information Supported: Private-company status, company-size range, 2021 founding claim, headquarters
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (LinkedIn)

Source 8

Source Name: Aircraft Electronics Association
Source Type: Professional Association
Information Supported: Clipper Aviation listing / membership directory presence at Van Nuys
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (Aircraft Electronics Association)

Source 9

Source Name: Van Nuys Airport Business Directory
Source Type: Airport / Public Aviation Resource
Information Supported: Clipper Aviation fixed-wing flight-training presence at Van Nuys
Data Date: June 1, 2026
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (iflyvny.com)

Source 10

Source Name: City of Santa Barbara Airport Department
Source Type: Government / Airport Authority
Information Supported: Historical Santa Barbara flight-school lease and 2025 assignment
Document Date: December 10, 2025
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (City of Santa Barbara)

Source 11

Source Name: NBAA-BACE Aircraft Connection
Source Type: Industry Association / Event
Information Supported: Clipper Aviation Charter and King Air 350 event listing
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (NBAA-BACE)

Source 12

Source Name: Western Aeromedical Consortium certificate hosted by Clipper Aviation
Source Type: Compliance / Company-Hosted Certificate
Information Supported: New Clipper Aviation Maintenance LLC drug-program membership and FAA identifier 1MER830B for the stated certificate period
Certificate Printed: March 3, 2025
Expiration: January 24, 2026
Accessed: September 19, 2026 (Clipper Aviation)

24. Data Confidence & Data Gaps

Verified

• Clipper Aviation operates from Van Nuys, California.
• Private charter is a core company business.
• Aircraft maintenance is a core business.
• Pilot training is part of the broader business.
• Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc. is associated with FAA Part 135 certificate 3NVA962L.
• Certificate issue date is September 18, 2018.
• Current FAA-derived fleet data identifies four aircraft on the certificate.
• The King Air 350 is the company’s principal publicly marketed charter aircraft.
• Charles Raffini and James Raffini are identified by the company as Founder & President.
• Sean Kaveney is identified as Part 135 Director of Operations.
• Mark Boss is identified as Part 135 Chief Pilot.
• Javier Malvaez is identified as Part 135 Director of Maintenance.
• Main address, telephone and general email are publicly documented. (Clipper Aviation)

Company Reported

• Service across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
• AltitudeAccess program characteristics.
• Maintenance support for hundreds of aircraft owners/operators.
• OEM/service-center relationships.
• Dozens of aircraft transactions supported annually.
• Access to thousands of North American airports.
• Detailed concierge-service capabilities. (Clipper Aviation)

Third-Party Reported

• LinkedIn employee range of 51–200.
• 2021 company founding designation.
• Certain corporate filing history.
• Third-party absence of an ARGUS or WYVERN rating on file. (LinkedIn)

Requires Verification

Legal entity naming: Current FAA-derived records use Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc., while at least one charter marketplace uses Clipper Aviation Charter, LLC. The company website itself uses the broader “Clipper Aviation” brand and copyright “Clipper Aviation Inc.” (Aeropattern)

Founding year: Corporate filing data suggests 2016, Part 135 certification began in 2018, while the current company LinkedIn profile says 2021. PrivateJetia should not reduce these three facts to one unsupported founding date.

Current corporate ownership: Relationships among Clipper Aviation Charter, Inc., New Clipper Aviation, LLC, New Clipper Aviation Maintenance, LLC and other similarly named entities are not sufficiently documented publicly to establish a definitive ownership chart.

Exact fleet ownership: Four aircraft are associated with the operating certificate, but economic ownership has not been established for every aircraft.

ARGUS rating: Not independently verified.

WYVERN rating: Not independently verified.

IS-BAO certification: Not publicly verified.

Total workforce: Not reliably established. LinkedIn’s 51–200 range applies to the broader company, while FAA certificate personnel numbers measure something fundamentally different.

Revenue / funding / profitability: Not publicly disclosed.

Annual charter hours: Not publicly disclosed.

Passenger volume: Not publicly disclosed.

Aircraft management fleet: Not reliably established.

Current Santa Barbara operation: Historical presence is documented, but the underlying lease was assigned away in 2025. It should not presently be categorized as a confirmed Clipper office.

Current Part 145 certificate details: The official company site states that the maintenance business operates as a Part 145 Repair Station, but PrivateJetia should capture the current certificate number and active OpSpecs directly from the company’s downloadable regulatory certificate before displaying a detailed regulatory record.

25. Information Last Verified

Information Last Verified: September 19, 2026

Research Confidence: High for charter identity, Van Nuys location, principal services, Part 135 status, current FAA-derived certificate fleet and publicly identified operational leadership. Moderate for corporate history and broader ownership structure.

Important Data Gaps: Current definitive parent/subsidiary structure; reconciliation of Inc./LLC charter-entity naming; precise founding date of the present Clipper Aviation organization; beneficial ownership; total employee count; aircraft ownership versus certificate placement; current ARGUS/WYVERN/IS-BAO status; current Part 145 certificate details; annual charter hours; revenue; funding; customer volume; and exact number of active company locations.