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The Clipper Aviation facility at Van Nuys Airport
Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles

A proud legacy of delivering value to clients and partners.

Guided by an unwavering commitment to safety, operational excellence and superior service — across private charter, aircraft maintenance and pilot training.

Our story

Three businesses, one standard.

Based at Los Angeles' iconic Van Nuys Airport, Clipper Aviation is guided by an unwavering commitment to delivering safety, operational excellence and superior service. We are a dedicated and client-centric organization that operates across three lines of business — private charter, aircraft maintenance and pilot training.

Our private charter division is defined by the care, dedication and expertise of our people, who bring extensive operational knowledge rooted in decades of industry experience. Leveraging highly trained pilots, technicians and support staff, we ensure every journey reflects the highest standards of safety, reliability and personalized service.

Clipper Maintenance prioritizes deep technical expertise, a safety-above-all-else mindset and a commitment to meeting promised turnaround times. By leveraging a highly experienced team and offering specialized services including pitot-static and transponder testing, we ensure aircraft are consistently maintained to the highest standards of airworthiness and readiness.

Our flight training program features a modern fleet of Cirrus aircraft providing structured, personally tailored instruction from private pilot through to advanced ratings. As a company of passionate aviators, each of whom began their journey as a student pilot, we hold dear our commitment to cultivating a safe and capable next generation.

Integrity, transparency and accountability stand as the guiding principles by which we manage our business. This approach has allowed us to develop numerous long-term, trust-based client relationships, all while maintaining the highest operational standards and consistently delivering value across each part of our business.

25 people, one ramp

The people behind every flight.

Pilots, technicians, coordinators and the founders, all of them reachable, accountable, and working out of the same building.

Charter

Every Clipper flight is crewed by two pilots, trained by the industry's leading providers and evaluated continuously against standards we set above the regulation.

  • Sean Kaveney, Part 135 Director of Operations

    Sean Kaveney

    Part 135 Director of Operations

  • Bryan Ferrell, Chief Pilot

    Bryan Ferrell

    Chief Pilot

  • Mark Boss, Part 135 Chief Pilot

    Mark Boss

    Part 135 Chief Pilot

  • Marco Soriaga, Assistant Chief Pilot

    Marco Soriaga

    Assistant Chief Pilot

  • Javier Malvaez, Part 135 Director of Maintenance

    Javier Malvaez

    Part 135 Director of Maintenance

  • Zayne Dietterick, Charter Sales Manager

    Zayne Dietterick

    Charter Sales Manager

  • Zach Gunner, Charter Pilot

    Zach Gunner

    Charter Pilot

  • Riese McClellan, Charter Pilot

    Riese McClellan

    Charter Pilot

  • Alex Garcia, Charter Pilot

    Alex Garcia

    Charter Pilot

Maintenance

Factory-trained technicians working a Part 145 repair station floor, supporting piston, turboprop and jet across most general aviation platforms.

  • Nick Martin, Director of Maintenance

    Nick Martin

    Director of Maintenance

  • Jennifer Jacobson, Parts Manager

    Jennifer Jacobson

    Parts Manager

  • Cesar Herrera, Senior Technician

    Cesar Herrera

    Senior Technician

  • Henrik Jahn, Senior Technician

    Henrik Jahn

    Senior Technician

  • Matthew Melgar, Technician

    Matthew Melgar

    Technician

  • Jeremiah Meador, Technician

    Jeremiah Meador

    Technician

  • Phillip Mejia

    Technician

  • Alina Dikmarova

    Customer Service Manager

  • Marina Bermudez

    Maintenance Service Coordinator

  • Ruben Magana, Line Service

    Ruben Magana

    Line Service

  • Enrique Pereira

    Line Service

  • Ty Palmer

    Aircraft Cleaning & Detailing

Administration

The people who make the exceptional effortless — scheduling, sourcing, coordinating and quietly removing every friction between you and the aircraft.

  • Charles Raffini, Founder & President

    Charles Raffini

    Founder & President

  • James Raffini, Founder & President

    James Raffini

    Founder & President

  • Emma Young, Operations Manager

    Emma Young

    Operations Manager

  • Mariana Soliman

    Finance Associate

Facilities

Our home at Van Nuys.

Multi-hangar storage, a Part 145 shop floor and briefing rooms, all on the same field and all a short walk from one another.

The Clipper Aviation reception and pilot briefing room

Reception

Pilot briefing facilities and a training environment for aspiring aviators — including the board where every first solo is recorded.

Aircraft parked outside the Clipper Aviation maintenance hangar

Ramp

A multi-hangar aircraft storage footprint spanning charter, maintenance and training operations.

A King Air 350 in the Clipper Aviation hangar with an engine opened for inspection

Hangar

Covered space for scheduled inspections and heavy work, with the Part 145 shop floor a few steps away.

The Clipper Aviation hangars at Van Nuys Airport
Come and see it

The door is genuinely open.

Clients, owners and prospective students are welcome on the ramp. Call ahead and we'll show you around properly.