About Pentastar

Pentastar Aviation is the premier aviation services provider in the Great Lakes Region, servicing both regional and global travelers from our Executive Terminal Operation (ETO) at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford, Michigan.

About Us

It’s our mission to exceed our customers’ expectations by adhering to the highest standards of safety and service quality, with professionalism and integrity. The result is a truly seamless travel experience.

Staying True To Our Mission

For more than 50 years, Pentastar Aviation has stayed true to our mission of exceeding customers’ expectations by adhering to the highest standards of safety and service quality with professionalism and integrity. In fact, it is this unwavering commitment that allows us to continue setting the standard in the private aviation services industry and remain the premier aviation services provider in the Great Lakes Region.

Our History

Pentastar boasts a rich history – established in 1964, originally as the internal flight department for the Chrysler Corporation. Today, under the ownership and nearly century-old family aviation legacy of Edsel B. Ford II, we provide aircraft management, advisory, maintenance, avionics, interior, and award-winning FBO services, industry-leading Fivestar Gourmet® catering, and private jet charter operated through Pentastar Aviation Charter, Inc.

1964

Established as Chrysler Air Transportation, Chrysler’s corporate flight department, originating at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

1980

Renamed

1990

Operations moved to Oakland County International Airport.

1995

New 103,000 square foot maintenance facility opened for public business.

2000

A 48,000 square foot hangar and a state-of-the-art 11,000 square foot passenger terminal with its own commercial jet way, including onsite U.S. Customs, Immigration and Agriculture, was added.

2001

Edsel B. Ford II fulfills his passion for aviation by acquiring the company. He currently presides as Owner and Chairman

2009

Pentastar Aviation Charter, Inc., (PACI) gained FAA approval for Direct Air Carrier Services for fixed and rotary-wing Air Ambulance operations.

2010

Pentastar Aviation and PACI became “IS-BAO registered” Operators (Parts 91 and 135).

2013

Pentastar acquired Aircraft Interior Services (AIS) for complete refurbishing and upgrades. In 2015, an interior design studio was opened to further support this business.

2018

Pentastar joins the Air Charter Safety Foundation and enrolls in their Aviation Safety Action program (ASAP).

2019

Pentastar ranked #1 FBO in the Americas by AIN and #1 Independent FBO by ProPilot and continues to be the most awarded aviation services company for over a decade.

2020

Pentastar obtains Stage 1 registration under IS-BAH.

Leadership

Edsel B. Ford II

Edsel B. Ford II – Chairman & Owner

Mr. Ford is the sole owner of Pentastar Aviation. He is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, and continues his family’s aviation legacy through his passion for aviation and leadership of Pentastar Aviation. Mr. Ford began his career at Ford Motor Company in January 1974. He was named President and Chief Operating Officer of Ford Motor Credit Company in May 1991 and elected an officer of Ford Motor Company in 1993. In 1988, Mr. Ford was elected to the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company and, as a consultant, he is active in company affairs and corporate dealer relations.

Gregory J. Schmidt

Gregory J. Schmidt – President & Chief Executive Officer

As President & Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Schmidt is responsible for the overall performance, strategic direction, and long-term growth of Pentastar Aviation. He has been active in the business aviation industry, currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Business Aviation Association (MBAA) and previously serving as Treasurer and then Chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Air Transportation Association (NATA). Prior to his current role, he served as Pentastar’s Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. In the decade prior to joining Pentastar, Mr. Schmidt held numerous leadership roles with Pulte Homes, Inc. During his tenure with Pulte, he served as the President of Pulte Homes of Ohio and also as Manager on the Corporate Asset Management Committee, overseeing capital investments across the U.S. Mr. Schmidt also served as the founding Secretary & Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Center for Success Network, a non-profit organization he helped establish, which focuses on providing educational support and life-skills training to children in the cities of Pontiac and Detroit, Michigan and Marion, Indiana.

Brad Bruce

Brad Bruce – Executive Vice President of Maintenance and Sales

With 22 years of industry experience, Mr. Bruce has lead sales and marketing, business development, and strategic direction operations for multiple full-service business aviation corporations, where he has held positions including General Manager, Vice President, and Executive Vice President. His career spans the areas of aircraft management, charter, maintenance, fixed based operations, and corporate shuttles. With a passion for serving customers and leading teams, he is experienced in developing aircraft use case analyses and operating budgets in aircraft ranging from turboprops to international biz-liners.  Mr. Bruce served four years active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps as an aircraft technician on Cobra and Huey helicopters before earning a bachelor’s degree in flight science from Western Michigan University in 1999.

Robert T. Sarazin

Robert T. Sarazin – Vice President FBO Services

Mr. Sarazin has an aviation career spanning over 37 years. He has worked in various positions of increasing responsibility at Pentastar Aviation for more than 32 of those years. Mr. Sarazin has managed multiple FBO locations and has managed ground handling for numerous dignitaries, including Air Force One for two presidents. Mr. Sarazin has overseen large aircraft handling for entertainers, professional sports teams and intercontinental shuttle flights. He currently oversees all Fixed Base Operations, Pentastar Aviation Facilities, as well as Pentastar Aviation’s onsite FiveStar Gourmet Catering.

Michael L. Baker

Carl Barnes – Vice President of Operations & Safety

Born in raised in the Detroit area, Carl Barnes is now serving as Vice President of Operations and Safety as a member of the executive team, overseeing the safe execution of Pentastar Aviation Charter flights and lead the daily activities of the Flight Operations organization. Before joining Pentastar, Barnes spent over 8 years with a metropolitan Detroit area all-cargo supplemental air carrier, serving in roles as Director of Safety, Assistant Chief Pilot, and most recently as the Director of Operations where he oversaw a fleet of 14 aircraft and 100 flight crewmembers. Barnes was also responsible for the design and implementation of a Safety Management System as well as serving as the Aircraft Operator Security Coordinator. Barnes obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management Technology from Eastern Michigan University and holds a FAA Airline Transport Pilot certificate with Type Ratings in B737, DC8 and DC9 aircraft, having flown professionally as an airline captain until medical retirement in 2010. Barnes also holds FAA Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument Airplane and Remote Pilot – Small Unmanned Aircraft System Certificates.

Heather Sermo

Heather Sermo – Vice President Human Resources

Ms. Sermo is responsible for Pentastar’s employee relations, talent management and acquisition programs, succession planning, and compensation strategies ensuring industry-leading wellbeing initiatives, legal compliance and implementation of Pentastar’s mission and strategy. Prior to joining Pentastar Aviation, Ms. Sermo held human resource positions with RoboVent, American Axle and Manufacturing, L&L Products, US Farathane, Shiloh Industries, Fraza Forklifts, TTI Global and TRW.

 Mark E. Schenkel

Mark E. Schenkel – Vice President of Finance

Mr. Schenkel has responsibility for leading the finance & accounting and information technology teams at Pentastar Aviation and Pentastar Aviation Charter, Inc. Prior to joining Pentastar Aviation, Mr. Schenkel held financial management positions with companies in the industrial services and automotive supplier sectors. He began his career in public accounting and is a member of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.

Douglas Levangie

Douglas Levangie – Vice President of Maintenance Operations & Advisory Services

Mr. Levangie is a 35-year aviation industry veteran and currently the Vice President of Maintenance Operations & Advisory Services for Pentastar Aviation LLC. During his 30-year career with Pentastar, he has held various positions including A&P Technician, Lead Technician, Shift Supervisor and Director of Maintenance. Mr. Levangie has a diverse range of corporate jet experience and is well-versed in Gulfstream, Cessna, Hawker, and Bombardier product lines with significant hands-on experience. In his current position, Mr. Levangie is involved with all facets of customer aircraft transactions. His responsibilities include aircraft operational and maintenance budget projections, aircraft technical evaluations, and aircraft refurbishment planning and management. He is also a Senior Certified Aircraft Appraiser and an active member of NAAA. Mr. Levangie has experience coordinating aircraft transactions with the aircraft buyer, seller and repair stations. He has an understanding of FAA and foreign regulations and has managed over two dozen transactions/refurbishment projects in the past five years.

Kip Catlin

Kip Catlin – Chief Pilot

Mr. Catlin joined Pentastar Aviation in 2012 as Chief Pilot. His over 31 years of experience includes working as a corporate pilot, airline captain, charter pilot and Director of Operations and General Manager of an on-demand air charter and FBO operation in central Michigan. Mr. Catlin is responsible for overseeing the activities of roughly 40 crew members.

“We are proud to uphold our tradition of aviation excellence. Our team is committed to working together to exceed the expectations of our customers.”

Proud Supporter

Throughout the year, Pentastar offers Casual-for-a-Cause days, organizes collections and provides numerous other opportunities for our employees to give back to our community. We are proud that, with generous employee contributions, hundreds of volunteer hours, and additional support provided by Pentastar through donations and matching challenges, in-kind donations and corporate sponsorships, each year we are able to lend support to a dozen or more organizations in our community and beyond.

Below are some of the organizations we have supported over the last 24 months.

For more than a decade, Pentastar Aviation has hosted Operation Good Cheer, an annual event sponsored by Child and Family Services of Michigan. Throughout a two-day period, hundreds of volunteers meet at Pentastar to unload, sort and reload the more than 17,000 gifts. Pentastar employees not only donate countless hours assisting in the gift sort but they also commit to fulfilling Christmas wish lists for 50 of the foster care children who are part of this program in order to ensure these children have a Christmas that is just a little brighter.

60,000

Dollars Last 24 Months

100+

Volunteer Hours Last 24 Months

Logos for organizations we have supported over the last 24 months

Our Commitment to World-Class Customer Service

Premier Aviation Services Provider and Most Awarded FBO in the Country!

NBAA Member logo

30 Consecutive Years Without an Accident or Incident

For 60 years, NBAA’s Flying Safety Award program has brought worldwide attention to the business aircraft safety record. These awards recognize member companies for exceptional achievement in maintaining safe flying operations. Much more than a member benefit, they serve as testimony to the high degree of professionalism inherent in business aircraft operations, and as a tribute to the skill of a company’s management, maintenance, pilot and support personnel teams.

AIN FBO Survey Logo

#1 In the Americas

The AIN FBO survey evaluates FBOs based on five categories: line service; passenger amenities, pilot amenities, facilities, and customer service representatives. The current survey process provides an overall average from 2013-current, in which Pentastar has annually been recognized as one of the top FBOs in the Americas. Since 2006, Pentastar has received top honors in this survey.

Professional Pilot PRASE

#2 Best Independent, #3 Best U.S.

The Professional Pilot PRASE Survey, heralded as the gold standard of aviation ground service leaders, is an annual tabulation of customer opinions of aviation ground services. Each year, Pro Pilot polls executives in charge of flight departments, aviation managers, chief pilots, pilots, CEOs, and other qualified subscribers to Professional Pilot magazine to recognize industry-leading service providers. Since 2005 Pentastar has annually ranked among the top ten FBOs on this survey.

Crain's 2019 Cool Places to Work logo

Crain’s Detroit Business Cool Places to Work in Michigan 2019

Input from Pentastar employees on an engagement and satisfaction survey, administered from the third party Best Companies Group, led to their recognition and placement on the list.

Pilots Choice Award Logo
The Pilots’ Choice awards recognize’s FBOs that provide arrival and departure services for private and business aircraft at more than 5,000 U.S. airports. Since 2011, Pentastar has been a recipient of one of the Top 50 U.S. FBOs 7 times.
2018 Silver Stevie Award Winner logo
The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are among the world’s top honors for customer service, contact center, business development and sales professionals. In 2018, Pentastar received a Silver Stevie Award For Sales & Customer Service.

According to our Customers….

Customer Feedback is very important to us. It allows us to continually monitor and update our processes.  That is why we ask all of our customers to take a Customer Satisfaction Survey which provides us with a Net Promoter Score.

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) methodology represents the net percentage of our customers who would recommend our company and services to a friend or colleague.

97

Our Net Promoter Score

What our FBO Customers have to say...

“Every time we come, these guys exceed our expectations. We travel around the world and visit many, many FBOs and these guys still are the best Truly job well done. EVERYONE is very professional and polite. Services were very efficient and done right the first time.” –  Anonymous

“Your staff were nothing sort of outstanding, very professional and tried to anticipate our every need.” –  Anonymous

“Great amenities, Better than most. Super friendly staff. I go to a lot of FBOs…NONE have better service than Pentastar KPTK! You are the best hands down!” –C. Kimes, Captain CFA Inc., Vandalia, OH

“Very high level of service. Easily the best FBO in the US!” – R.Leed, Chief Pilot GOMACO Corp., Ida Grove, IA

“Great FBO. The best we visit.” – M.Gilliland, Pilot Net Jets, Monroe, NC

“The folks here are always super nice. Pilots love the snacks and drinks available to us.” –  Mike, Captain/Check Airman, NJA

“I’m never anything but completely satisfied with the customer service provided by the Pentastar team!” –  L. Blake Manager-Corporate Shuttle, Cummins Inc., Columbus, IN

“You have a truly excellent FBO and staff. I’ve been hundreds of places and this is one of my top. Excellent line service met them at the aircraft for their bags.” –  S. Robbins Company Pilot, Baldor Electric, Fort Smith, AR

“The best FBO in the Great Lakes and Top in the U.S. Other FBOs could learn how to do it right from Pentastar.” –  D.Segrist Chief Pilot, Diamond Aviation, Jackson, MI

” Best equips FBO I go to on a regular basis.”  – M. Creager Captain, DPJ, Geneva FL

“Everybody was great- rarely do I see a whole group that is professional and enjoys their job.” –  J.Smith Chief Pilot, Team Health, Knoxville, TN

“Very welcoming staff and CS Representatives. You should be proud of your employees.” –  M.Levesque Captain, NetJet, Apex, NC

“I wish every FBO could be as professional and courteous as Pentastar is. Fantastic customer service. They all go the extra mile to make sure everything is to your liking.” – Pilot, Des Monies, Iowa

“Love flying to Pentastar as we always get FIRST CLASS Treatment.” – Pilot

“As usual, the service at Pentastar is second to none. Best FBO anywhere. Every employee always goes out of their way to make sure our visit here is perfect.” – Captain, London, Ontario

“We always enjoy the tremendous service that we receive here at Pentastar. You can’t improve on perfection.” –  Captain, Birch Run, MI

“Very friendly and helpful. Others would be well served to follow the same practices.” –  Contract Pilot, Birmingham, AL

What our MRO Customers have to say...

“Great job by the Pentastar MRO team. This was a short notice visit with several lead time items and they RTS’d early!!” –  Client Services Manager, Petaluma, CA

“What sealed the deal for us was the way Pentastar proactively performed, at their expense, a vertical burn to make sure our fabric would work. That forward thinking made me believe that if you would be that on top of the small and lesser things of our project, you would do great on the bigger and more important parts as well.”  – C.Childers, Director of Maintenance, Gibbs International Inc., Greer, SC

“Pentastar is always the best when it comes to service and paperwork accuracy.” – Owner, Arbor Springs, MI

What our Charter Customers have to say...

“Everyone at Pentastar Aviation are great to work with from sales to line crew, it’s always a worry free experience. Our Charter sales representative always goes above and beyond to ensure the process goes flawless from start to finish.” –  P. Valentage, Executive Assistant, NBT Investments Bloomfield Hills, MI

“The staff at Pentastar is top notch.” – J. Manecky, Administrative Assistant, Kohlberg & Co., LLC, Mt. Kisc, New York

“Our Charter sales representative and the flight ops crew always provide excellent service and updates along the way. Our passengers always provide excellent feedback on their trips!” –  Executive Assistant Auburn Hills, MI

“Pentastar always goes above and beyond to please. I have been working with them here for 20 years and they have always been spot on!” – Executive Assistant, Northville, MI