From the Flight Deck

Thirty-seven years of ownership is quite the milestone. And in the world of general aviation – where details matter and there’s no room for error – it’s easy for things to become confusing, complex or even convoluted.

Then there’s Shoreline Aviation, Inc.

Want to know the secret sauce of Shoreline Aviation’s success? What’s kept it going and growing the past 37 years? How Shoreline has stood out from the crowd for nearly four decades?

They keep it simple.

Aircraft management and charter are at the core of Shoreline’s business model. For sure, Shoreline’s support services are hugely important. As the fixed base operator for Marshfield Municipal Airport on Massachusetts’ storied South Shore, the company manages fuel sales, hangar space, tie-downs and other services. The company’s maintenance department is renowned for its excellence, including being one of only two authorized Piper aircraft service centers in New England. And they’ll broker the purchase or sale of your aircraft.

But it’s their charter flight service that has made Shoreline into the strong aviation company it became since its inception in 1981.

This Citation XLS+ jet has joined Shoreline Aviation’s charter fleet at Marshfield Municipal Airport.

In 1988 a cool thing happened. Two young men from the South Shore purchased the struggling company. And then the future happened. One partner, Ed Novak, handled the maintenance department. Senior partner Keith Douglass took on the remainder. And the rest, as is said, is history.

Keith’s big challenge was to expand a fledgling charter operation. That’s where the simplicity kicked in. Keep it simple, he figured, and they will come.

“You get top-flight quality with no commitment,” Keith says. “We don’t have contracts. We’re sure you’ll keep coming back.”

Shoreline has no membership fees, no jet cards, and no long-term obligations.

“We’re different from other operators,” he says. “You pay as you fly.”

Shoreline Aviation President Keith Douglass, right, and members of Shoreline’s PC-12 team, pose with the fleet’s new PC-12 NGX. 

The formula appears to be working just fine. As Keith and Ed celebrate their 37th anniversary of purchasing the company – and sustaining local ownership and management all that time – Shoreline’s managed fleet includes Citation 560XL, Pilatus PC-12 and Dassault Falcon 2000LX aircraft. In fact, a new PC-12 NGX joined the managed fleet this winter. The Pilatus turboprop aircraft are perfect for travel across the northeast, the Citation jets can go anywhere this side of the Atlantic, and the Falcon flies just about anywhere in the world.

Shoreline operates offices at Marshfield Municipal Airport and also at Palm Beach International Airport.

What else is going on?

Shoreline has the continuing foresight to see the future. The company worked closely with electric aviation pioneer BETA Technologies to install the state’s only electric aircraft charging station.

If they build it, they figure, you will come.