Whiteman Airport from the Southwest |
Founded
in January 1982 by Brenda Thomas, Vista Aviation was
originally a part-time supplier of parts and pilot
supplies--and the only such facility on Whiteman field
(WHP). As the popularity of WHP grew, Thomas and her
partner, John "Dusty" Rhodes, saw the need
to develop a radio shop on the field. They later incorporated
maintenance, inspections and aircraft sales.
Not
a pair to rest on their (winged) laurels, Thomas and
Rhodes added a Cessna 172 to the ramp in 1990 and
the new flight school branch of the business was born.
Vista Air’s flight school quickly grew into
a one-stop operation offering aircraft rental in addition
to full-time flight training. |
In
1997, Vista Air became one of only a few flight
schools in the Los Angeles area to partner with
Cessna as a Cessna Pilot Center (CPC). This
partnership extends beyond flight training,
as Vista Aviation is also an authorized Cessna
Service Station and CSTAR facility offering
the best in aircraft maintenance and sales.
Starting the business with no investors and
only $7000, Thomas, Rhodes and a dedicated staff
have made Vista Air a staple of the Southern
California aviation community. Early on, an
old door served as the only workbench. Twenty
three years later, Vista is finalizing plans
for a new multi-million dollar two-story facility.
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Whiteman
Airport satellite image |
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