An area man is going to great heights for his dream job with a new charter air travel business based out of the Collingwood Regional Airport.
Paul Severino started his career as a commercial pilot in the mid-2000s, but left the profession in 2011 when a recession caused a shortage in work for pilots.
He and his wife started a plastics recycling company, Kanata Plastics, near Barrie, and he eventually “talked his wife” into letting him buy an airplane.
“I love flying, it puts a smile on my face,” he said.
Severino bought a PA-31-350 Chieftan aircraft, and took up a friend on an offer to join his charter airline.
He joined BlueStar Air Services, based in London, to become the Collingwood branch of the airline.
Severino has two other pilots and will run charter flights with a two-pilot crew for up to six passengers. His first passenger flight with the new plane and under the new business was on Oct. 26,2021. He took passengers to New York and back.
BlueStar’s certification allows Severino to fly anywhere in North America or the Caribbean, but he said the ideal range is about a three-hour flight (like from Collingwood to Boston). A flight from Collingwood to Toronto takes about 25 minutes, as the Chieftan can fly at about 400 km/hour.
“I was a born pilot,” said Severino. “This is my passion, this is what I love. To get the chance now, as an aircraft owner and business, it’s great. It’s surreal after all the work we put into it.”
He will be offering chartered flights 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For now, the Collingwood BlueStar branch is one plane, but Severino said he’ll work to grow bigger someday.
“My real passion is aviation, so yes, my goal is to slowly grow,” he said.
You can reach Paul Severino at 705-391-8412 or by email at [email protected].
