Aviation World USA

By Pierre A. Kandorfer

Mojave. He is a former TWA captain, a local businessman, and definitely a Mojave original: Michael Potter, owner of P & M Aircraft at the Mojave airport.

With barely twenty, he became the youngest copilot flying for a major US airline. And just three years later, with twenty three, he advanced to a captain. At that time, he was the youngest airline transportation pilot (ATP) to command a passenger plane in US history.

“That’s a long time ago”, captain Potter – as he likes to be called – says. Then, after twenty years at TWA commander seat, everything became to a halt. Michael Potter got diabetes, and could not maintain his medical certificate anymore. His dream career gone!

However, this setback did not slow him down. About twenty five years ago, he started P & M Aircraft at the Mojave airport. Main business focus: Recycling old airplane parts by disassembling them for reuse. He has two full-time employees and several part timers, most of them working primarily at Edwards. Two of his workers are FAA certified mechanics, enabling them do legally identify, clean, tag, assign the parts, and provide them with the appropriate serial and part number. Potter: ”We only deal with aircraft no accident of any kind. Our recycled parts are as good as used parts can be….”

Even though Potter is not an “A&P” , aircraft and power plant mechanic, he has a family history of aircraft maintenance. His father used to own an aviation service company at the Burbank airport, and Potter grew up with airplanes.

Dozens of old-timers are piling up at his plant yard, just waiting to be taken apart. All Boeing models, from 707 to 747, are present – as well as DC9’s, DC10’s – and even an old Airbus 310. Potter: ”Contrary to the common believe, the airplane parts are not scrap metal but a valuable commodity on the used aviation part market.”

His clients come from all-over the states. They are all “old referrals”. No advertising, no marketing, no sales pitch needed. As Mike says, “in the aviation business, trusting people and their reliability is everything. You cannot gamble with aviation parts.”

Therefore, most of his clients are repeat customers. They come again and again. Mike Potter is as busy as always. “We have enough work until late into next year….”

The captain points out, that he “flew and delivered” the first airliners for long-term storage to Mojave in 1983 which established a new business line for the High Desert airport. Years ago, he operated also a fresh fish import from abroad.

Additionally, Mike is a seasoned technical advisor the movie industry. He worked on a series of big Hollywood movies, wrote or co-wrote a number of aviation scenes in movies such as Air Force One, Executive Decision, Pushing Tin, US Marshals, and more.

Even more business dropped in “automatically” after September 11 when airplane marshals needed old planes for their training and explosion tests. He is expecting another training and test session on his 747 soon. Among other things, they intend to blow out the plane doors.

What is the secret of his success? “There is no real secret”, he says. “In our business, you just need total commitment, reliability and honesty. If you deliver that, the customers will return automatically….”

And they do. With 62 and somehow handicapped with his diabetes, there is no way for him to retire anytime soon. In a couple of weeks, he expects another thirteen DC9 airplanes from Mexico for recycling. Almost more work that he can handle. A real business success story….

By Pierre A. Kandorfer

California City. For about fifty years, skydiving is a “way of life” in California City. More than gliding or off-roading ever were. Van Pray, old-time California City resident, commercial pilot and business owner, still remembers the day when he for the first time flew skydivers over the skies of California City for the purpose of parachuting in 1965.

Today, he owns two airplanes, employs a dozen of people, and serves as one of the major skydiving operators in Southern California.

When President George Bush 41 turned eighty last year, he parachuted out of a plane for his birthday thrill. For the last time, he demonstrated to the world his affection for his favorite hobby – and he focused attention of millions of people to skydiving. An action sports discipline many people consider extremely dangerous, while parachuting aficionados get “the kick of their lifetime” out of it.

Liz Mack from West Hollywood emphasized after her first jump last weekend in California City:” It is so much fun! I want to do it again and again.” Liz celebrated her 30th birthday at the California City Drop Zone with her boyfriend who gave her a skydiving gift certificate. “At first, I was quite cautious”, she said, “but now I am in and I love it….”

Araz Megerdichian, a nursing student from Glendale College, intends to become a “serious skydiver.” She is taking lessons at Howard Smith who works as a full-time skydiving instructor for the Airforce during the week – and as a part-time instructor for Van Pray on weekends.

Van and his wife Roberta started their business in October 1975 when he was Cal City’s airport manager at the same time. His skydiving business was so successful that he gave up his airport manager job in 1976 and focused on his own company only.

Why California City? “It’s an ideal place”, he says. “It has a wide open space, a very favorable restricted airspace area by the Edwards AFB to the South – and over three hundred sunny days per year.”

The California City drop zone conducts about 25,000 jumps per year, about 1,500 first time jumpers. With about 25,000 square foot facility, swimming pool, and 120 acres of land, this is one of the largest skydiving operations in the state of California.

In addition to the regular skydiving business, Van conducts military testing and training, parachute testing for the aerospace industry, as well as aviation movie work. Several movie and commercial productions have been shot here.

In California City, there is a number of world-class skydiving experts. At the top, Judy Celaya, co-owner of California City Skydive and one of the leading international skydiving judges. She just returned from Thailand where she acted as one of the judges on the world largest formation free-fall record with no less than 400 skydivers at the same time.

Judy will be travelling to Japan, Germany, and Russia later this year for World Championship competitions. She already has been assigned also as the “Chief Judge” for the US National championship in Arizona this fall.

Her husband and co-owner of the business, Bob Celaya, is a leading instructor-examiner and training advisor for the United States Parachute Association (USPA).He also works as a FAA designated parachute rigger examiner certifying senior and master parachute riggers all over California. Bob: ”I am also certified to teach skydiving teachers.”

Bob and Judy offer three types of skydiving instructions. The beginner program, called “progressive course”, is the training to start with. Popular also is the “tandem” dive. In this type of training the student is “strapped” to the instructor which gives the beginner an additional feeling of safety. The ultimate kick for the most challenge-seeking clients is the actual “free-fall”.

Bob increasingly focuses on parachute rigging services for aerobatics glider and fighter jet pilots who are required to wear a parachute at all times.

Bob and Judy downsized their business last year to a part-time but still full-service operation. Unless by appointment, they are working mostly on weekends. How do they describe their role in the skydiving business? “The difference between large operators and us is like the difference between a Ford factory assembly line and a hands-on Rolls Royce factory”, Judy points out. Bob: “We focus on individuals and small groups at a very reasonable cost.”

The two skydiving operators in California City can be reached by phone. Van Pray’s Skydive California City at 1-888-373-4007, and Bob & Judy Celaya’s California City Skydive at 760-373-4826.