The History of Airtime Aviation

Tom Gutmann began pursuing his interest in flying as he graduated from high school.  He relocated from Dayton, Ohio in 1969 to Tulsa, Oklahoma to attend Spartan School of Aeronautics.  Upon graduating he obtained his private pilot’s license then soon after received his instrument rating.  He continued to own, operate, and maintain his own personal planes.  In 1972, he opened his first auto repair center in Tulsa, and for the next three decades, he opened and successfully operated three more repair facilities.  In 2001 Tom purchased the first Flight Design CT airplane in the U.S.  What started as a hobby soon turned into what is known today as Airtime Aviation.  Tom enjoyed flying the plane so much and received so much positive feedback that he began distributing the plane in 2003.  Shortly thereafter, Tom’s son Tom Gutmann Jr. joined Airtime Aviation.  Together, they have served as president and vice-president of the Ultra Sport Flyers organization, EAA chapter 10, and have been instrumental in promoting the Tulsa fly in.  Airtime Aviation will continue to provide safe professional service for years to come.

Airtime Aviation inc. has joined forces with many of Tulsa’s best service facilities. We now have a complete Flight Design approved composite and painting facility. One of the repair facilities we use is RJ Mechanical. This company is owned and operated by Rex Johnson. Rex has been in aircraft maintenance for 37 years 35 of those years were in military service. RJ Mechanical is a Rotax approved heavy maintenance facility.

The History of Flight Design Germany

Beginning with hang gliders in the early 1980s, and progressing to light-sport aircraft, Flight Design has approached air sports and the manufacture of its aircraft as professionals.  Mathias Betsh, Flight Design’s managing director, states, “We design and produce every mach8ine by ourselves and, more importantly, we fly everything ourselves.”  For more than 25 years the people behind Flight Design have been professionals in sport aviation.  In close cooperation with its dealers and pilots, Flight Design develops and improves its products.  Flight Design employs a team of 30 engineers to design and refine its product line.  A team of 600-plus workers in Germany and Ukraine contributes to the high-tech design.  Technical innovations and continuously improved safety characteristics are responsible for Flight Deign’s growth.  Since the production of the high-technology, carbon-fiber CT planes was launched in 1997, more than 900 CT’s have been delivered to customers throughout the world.  Flight Design is committed to bringing modern materials, progressive design concepts, and safety improvements to the pilot community.