Regal Aircraft Positions Itself Despite Aviation Slump

After working for a number of aviation companies in the Los Angeles area, David Stuppler went out on his own at what was probably the worst time. Not only was the economy in the dumps but in late 2008 private aviation took a hit to its image that it still hasn’t fully recovered from – that corporate aircraft was a luxury and perk incompatible with the times. If those weren’t problems enough Stuppler decided to base Regal Aircraft around very light jets, small pilot-owned aircraft of which only several hundred have been built. Regal is a small operation but Stuppler is positioning himself for when there are more very light jets taking to the skies. In the meantime he builds up his experience and name recognition through aircraft management and charter brokerage services. “As the industry grows in the future we will be there,” Stuppler said. A Valley native, Stuppler graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a degree in business aviation administration. He is also an experienced pilot who has been an instructor in both Florida and California. After stints at Virgin Charter in Santa Monica and Spirit Aviation and JetAVIVA, both in Van Nuys, Stuppler started Regal in late 2008. JetAVIVA, where he had been operations manager, also deals exclusively with very light jets. That Stuppler has only one full-time client for his aircraft management services is indicative of just how few very light jets are out there. Just a few years ago these planes were being touted as the future of private aviation for their low price and ability to access small airports. But then Eclipse Aviation, the main U.S. manufacturer of the planes, and DayJet, an air taxi firm that based its business model on the VLJ, both went out of business. (The assets of Eclipse were sold to a group of investors who brought the company back as Eclipse Aerospace.) Less than 300 of the Eclipse 500 were produced but Regal is managing one of them for a Valley resident who uses the plane to visit real estate holdings. Because of the poor economy Stuppler knew that he could not survive on management clients alone and that is why he added charter brokerage to what he offers. As a broker, Regal works with charter air companies to save time and money for their clients. The more Regal works with certain charter companies the more savings they get and that gets passed down to the customer. Stuppler does price comparison and background and certification checks. Finding the right aircraft for the client is a big part of his job. He makes sure that a plane is not too big or too expensive, Stuppler said. “It’s confusing to know where to start,” Stuppler said. “Since we’re experienced we’ll point them in the right direction.”