THE
Fall 2012 / ISSUE NO. 9
GLOBAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT MAGAZINE
Flying a Piece of History… and a Time Machine Owner of the 7,000th King Air ever produced boosts time management with broadband internet system upgrade
The decision a decade ago to purchase a business aircraft helped turn the portfolio at Herman & Kittle Properties Inc. (HKP) into one that today represents more than $500 million in investments. “If we didn’t have the airplane, our business model would have to change,” said Jeffrey L. Kittle, president and CEO of HKP. “There would be no way we could have effectively run our portfolio and grown our portfolio over the past 10 years with existing staffing levels.” The decision several months ago to have Hawker Beechcraft Services in Indianapolis install a broadband internet system in the company’s soon-to-be-delivered Beechcraft King Air 350i turned the aircraft into a time machine. “The phone and broadband upgrades add tremendous value to our new airplane,” Kittle said. “It’s like a time machine, we get a lot
WHAT’S INSIDE
News from NBAA 2012 — Pg 4
more done in less time and can be more effective.” That strong endorsement comes after owning the aircraft for just two weeks. HKP took delivery of its King Air 350i at the end of September. It wasn’t just any King Air, though; it was the 7,000th King Air delivered since the legendary line of twin-engine turboprops began production in 1964. “Our company was already excited about moving up from the King Air 200 that we’ve loved to a new King Air 350i, so realizing we were getting the 7,000th King Air ever produced just made it that much more special,” Kittle said. “There’s no question in my mind of why the King Air line has been successful for such a long time. These are great airplanes that are comfortable, mission capable and are economical to operate.” HKP flies about 300 hours per year, mostly to transport team members to current and prospective properties. The Indianapolis-based company develops, builds, manages and owns multi-family rental housing and self-storage facilities in 10 states throughout the Midwest and Gulf regions of the United States. Among the reasons Kittle cited for choosing the King Air 350i: an ideal combination of payload and range for a variety of missions, a quiet and comfortable state-of-the-art cabin as well as comprehensive warranty and customer support programs. He said he appreciates the thorough communication from Global Customer Support team members and values the comfort of having service performed at factoryowned facilities. Continued on Page 3
First Customer Hawker 400XPR Avionics Upgrade Installation Underway — Pg 7
New iPad App puts Technical Publications at Your Fingertips — Pg 10
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