Up, Up and Away with Augusta Aviation

by

The holiday season is all about traditions, old and new. As family and friends gather from far and wide to celebrate, Augusta Aviation understands the importance of getting you to your destination to share in these traditions. While there may not be an easy way to get to and from St Simons Island by ground, we've got that covered for you. Based in Augusta, GA, from the word, "go," we can be on the ramp at SSI in 2 hours in our King Air 90 aircraft. If it's the Atlanta area where you need to be, we can have you there in less than an hour and a half. Whatever your destination, we stand ready to accommodate your air travel needs. There are numerous airports in the Southeast we can access that aren't conducive to the airlines.

Air charter is a large focus of our business, and we dedicate ourselves to providing you safe, convenient, luxury travel. If you have a favorite food or beverage preference, our charter schedulers are diligent in making sure you don’t take off without them. We even assist with any rental car needs at your destination.

"It's not about the transportation. It's about the experience when you fly with Augusta Aviation. Convenience and luxury air travel; it’s what we do,” says Becky Shealy, Vice President of Business Development.

Standing the test of time, Augusta Aviation is the oldest FBO in the Southeast. We owe our success to founder, W.M. Boshears, affectionately known as, "Buster." Our humble beginnings started in 1940 under the banner of Augusta School of Aviation on a grass field in North Augusta, SC, known as Schultz Hill. In 1947, Buster and his brother, Forrest Boshears, purchased a bankrupt business at the location of modern-day Daniel Field, entering into the FBO business, while expanding the flight school location beyond Schultz Hill. Once established as an FBO at Daniel Field, Buster and Forrest added air-charter services to their core competencies. By 1961, the favorable response of the aviation industry to this FBO, along with the notoriety of the Masters Golf Tournament, made it necessary for the Boshears brothers to change the name of their beloved business to Augusta Aviation, Inc.  

W.M. Boshears, Jr, known as, "Little Buster," took over the family business from his father and uncle in the 70s, operating a successful, full-service FBO business providing flight training, aviation fuel sales, aircraft maintenance and aircraft charter.  In 1990, Buster, Jr. sold the business to an ambitious aircraft mechanic he mentored, Steven Gay. Steve remains the owner today. While times have changed, that family feel of Augusta Aviation remains the same. Steve has family members in key areas of Augusta Aviation, and those who don't share Steve's DNA are considered extended family. Team Augusta Aviation is dedicated to the future success of the company.

Our fleet consists of 4 King Air C90s that are maintained by our own maintenance and detailing crew so you can be confident in the safety and cleanliness of our aircraft. With our 24/7 operation, we invite you to sit back, relax, and have confidence in our team. 

The Beechcraft King Air is one of the most reliable, twin-engine turbo-prop aircraft on the market today. The normal range is 955 statute miles and can reach a maximum altitude of 24,000ft. The 90 model has a maximum speed of 287 mph and is capable of landing on short field runways of 3,500 ft to 4,000 ft plus.

The King Air 90 cabin measures 4’10” H x 12’5” L x 4’6” W. This provides comfortable seating for 4-5 passengers with ample baggage space. Elevate your idea of luxury travel. The King Air is where style meets comfort.

Although air charter is a large part of Augusta Aviation, we don’t stop there. We offer flight training programs specifically tailored to our students to include a full- motion, FAA approved, advanced training flight simulator. Our full-service maintenance shop maintains our trainer planes as well as our charter aircraft in addition to our base customer and transient planes. Augusta Aviation is also an Authorized Full-Service Cirrus Service Center. Through these programs we have strived to create a significant impact on our local community.

Several years ago, owner, Steven Gay, founded the General Aviation Initiative, GAI. This program promotes lower aviation fuel prices, and in turn promotes more affordable flying for our base and transient customers. Through the GAI, we have been able to support our community in other ways, such as cancer awareness. Augusta Aviation has dedicated multiple aircraft to raising awareness for various types of cancer, as well as raising funds for the local cancer centers. We currently support childhood cancer, neuroendocrine cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, and glioblastoma cancer awareness. We also work with local organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Augusta to promote flying and future careers in the aviation industry. We are grateful for the opportunity to further the love of aviation to those in our community.

Former mayor of Augusta, GA, Deke Copenhaver says of his experience working with our company: "We have had the pleasure of working with Augusta Aviation for a number of years now and couldn't recommend them more highly. They are professional and dependable, but more so than that, they are compassionate to our travel needs and we consider them both friends and extended family.”

While we strive to improve our community and the world of aviation, our joy is bringing the comfort of home and Southern hospitality to your travel. We are working 24/7 to ensure the safety, convenience, and hassle-free experience of flight. We'd love to work with you to take the hassle out of your travel arrangements. Create new memories this holiday season and experience the magic by choosing Augusta Aviation for your everyday travel needs. It will be your new favorite tradition! Call us at 704.289.6868 and put us to work for you. augustaaviation.com

By Amelia Gay, Marketing & Communication, Augusta Aviation

On the December 2024 Cover/Masthead:

Santa himself was there to give a warm season’s greeting to the Maichle Family when they landed at the St. Simons Island Airport at McKinnon Field just in time for the holidays. Dad Kris is decked out in apparel from Planters Exchange, while mom Nicki is dressed to impress in fashion from The Yellow Canary. Son Jacob wears a festive ensemble from Saltwater Boys Company and Cutie Patooties supplied the perfect party attire for daughter Kate.

THANK YOU to the Maichle family for flying the EIL “skies,” Augusta Aviation for providing the modern day “sleigh,” and the crew at the St. Simons Airport and Odyssey Aviation for making arrangements for the shoot at the hangar. Our gratitude to Santa for making an early stop on SSI and to Annaliese Kondo of Studio Pixel Pop for capturing the moment.