CLEARWATER, Fla., Feb. 16, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avantair, Inc., (OTCBB:AAIR), the industry leader of fractional aircraft ownership and flight hour time cards in the light jet cabin category and the only publicly traded stand-alone private aircraft operator, is donating ten flight hours on behalf of its owners to the Veterans Airlift Command (VAC), a nonprofit based in St. Louis Park, Minn. The VAC offers service members, veterans and their families transportation to medical facilities for treatment and other service-related events, provided by a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots.
"Our owners are contributing flight hours to help service members and veterans receive the medical attention they need and reunite them with family and friends. We are happy to be able to provide something in return to the brave men and women of our country who have made great sacrifices," said Steven Santo, founder and CEO of Avantair.
One grateful VAC member and his wife, for example, will use Avantair to attend a cruise for wounded vets.
"This trip will help me reconnect with my wife as well as with other veterans who share my experiences. I am a nine-year Army veteran who was retired from the military as a SSG for wounds received in Iraq; I have two purple hearts, one from each of my deployments in Iraq," said the VAC member.
Avantair and its owners would like to thank those who choose to serve our country.
About Avantair
Avantair, the sole North American provider of fractional shares, flight time cards and Axis Club Membership in the Piaggio Avanti aircraft, and the only publicly traded stand-alone private aircraft operator, is headquartered in Clearwater, FL, with approximately 450 employees. The Company offers private travel solutions for individuals and businesses traveling within its service area, which includes the continental United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico, at a fraction of the cost of whole aircraft ownership. The Company currently manages a fleet of 55 aircraft, with another 52 Piaggio Avanti aircraft on order through 2013. For more information about Avantair, please visit: www.avantair.com.
About Veterans Airlift Command
Veterans Airlift Command (VAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose first priority is to transport service members and veterans from OEF/OIF to medical facilities for service-connected medical needs. VAC also offers air transportation for family and friends to visit service members and veterans and air transportation to Wounded Warriors to specific events such as homecoming reunions to aid in the healing process. For more information about VAC, please visit: www.veteransairlift.org.