The Company

Kalitta Charters

Kalitta Charters, LLC is headquartered at Willow Run Airport (YIP) in Ypsilanti, Michigan with an additional operations and maintenance base in Morristown, Tennessee (MOR), and aircraft positioned at off-base locations throughout the United States.  

The company is owned by Douglas “Doug” Kalitta and began service in December 2001 with 11 aircraft.  Kalitta Charters now owns and operates 11 Learjets, 10 Falcons and a King Air.  Kalitta Charters provides air charter services for cargo, passenger and medical transport, either by contract or on-demand, to a diverse customer base.  

Additionally, Doug owns Kalitta Charters II, a FAR 121 operation with two DC-9 and six Boeing 727-200 aircraft.  

Kalitta Charters, LLC FAR 135 Certificate

Kalitta jets out on the tarmac

Kalitta MedFlight

Since MedFlight operations began in 1985, Kalitta Charters has continued its dedication to providing the most convenient, reliable, and affordable flying experience for its customers.  Kalitta Charters’ MedFlight division provides services to customers including the U.S. Department of Defense, Air Ambulance Specialists, Shriners Hospital for Children, Akron Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital, MedCorp, and Cleveland Metro Life Flight, to name a few.  

Kalitta Charters’ MedFlight crews are trained and held to the highest standards recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).  The MedFlight team undergoes monthly ongoing skills training and validation to ensure the highest levels of competency and patient safety.  

Kalitta Values

Doug has the highest regard for safety.  In the company’s operations manual, Doug states: “Safety is the core value of Kalitta Charters because we deeply care about the health and safety of all our employees and customers”. Customer safety and comfort are our top priorities.  

infant transfer

Other Interests

Doug also has a passion for car racing and it began with his uncle, Conrad “Connie” Kalitta. Connie is a professional drag racer in the top-fuel class of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).  He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in June 1992 for his tremendous contribution to the sport, having won three world championships and setting the world speed record on more than one occasion.  Although not currently racing, he is the team owner of one nitro funny car and two top-fuel dragsters, one of which is driven by Doug Kalitta.  

Doug started out as a member of Connie’s crew in 1982 and got a taste for drag racing.  He first started racing the USAC events on the oval track in Sprint cars and Midgets in 1990.  In 1998, he joined the NHRA, becoming a top-fuel drag racer.