About Us

SevenBar Flying Service was incorporated in 1947. There were two dirt runways, and the company offered flight training, tie-down and fuel. This is the Luscombe Silvare N 1585K, the first airplane purchased by SevenBar for flight training.

The first T-hangars were constructed. Here is a DC3 landing at Alameda Airport that same year.

The first maintenance shop was built, and maintenance services were offered for the first time. Pictured here is Al Matthew, an early SevenBar Aviation employee.

The first paint hangar was constructed. Here is a plane painted and reupholstered by Rolfe Black.

Rolfe Black became president of the company. Rolfe is giving instructions to Ms. Dudley Price next to a Cessna.

SevenBar Flying Service offered Jet A fuel for the first time. Here is the crew waiting to give the next plane some first-class TLC.

A new office building was built. The new building housed sales, bookkeeping, flight department, and dispatch offices. There was also a pilot’s lounge and an employee lounge, and the parts department was expanded. This is an early outdoor board advertisement for SevenBar.

SevenBar bought Sun Valley Aviation, the existing FBO at Friedman Memorial Airport, near Sun Valley, Idaho. Early photo at Sun Valley.

Alameda Airport, on the Black family ranch, officially closed after 40 years of operation. SevenBar Flying Service built a new facility in the general aviation area at Albuquerque International Airport, and moved all operations to that location.

SevenBar company headquarters moved from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Dallas, Texas, when Rolfe’s son, Wade, became president of the company. Air medical services were established in the Dallas area, as well as charter operations.

October – SB Air & Lifeguard was awarded the Association of Air Medical Services Fixed Wing Safety Award for outstanding operational safety in the field of air medical transportation. Here, a plane is retrofitted with emergency medical equipment.

SevenBar celebrated its 50th anniversary. By this time, SevenBar had become the fixed-wing transport provider for Children’s Medical Center of Dallas.

SevenBar acquired Four Corners Aviation, which had been in existence since 1953 at Four Corners Regional Airport in Farmington, New Mexico. December – SevenBar’s new facility at Dallas Love Field Airport was opened. The facility serves as a base for all air medical operations in the Dallas area.

SevenBar launched its fractional aircraft ownership program, Ascend, further expanding SevenBar’s aviation services offerings in the Southwest.

SevenBar broke ground on the new facility at Sun Valley. SevenBar became the fixed-wing air medical transport provider for Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas.

SevenBar celebrated the grand opening of the new Sun Valley Aviation. SevenBar became the fixed wing air medical transport provider for Vanderbilt University LifeFlight.

SevenBar celebrated its 60th anniversary.

SevenBar’s three FBOs at ABQ, FMN, and SUN, were acquired by Atlantic Aviation. All locations now operate under the Atlantic Aviation name and can be found on the internet at www.atlanticaviation.com.

SevenBar Aviation began to prepare to add rotor wing operations to their service offerings.

The Federal Aviation Administration Safety Management Systems Program accepted SevenBar into the program.

SevenBar Aviation began recruitment efforts to strengthen the leadership team by hiring the Director of Safety and recruiting well respected air medical professionals to join the team.

SevenBar Aviation was recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration for our commitment to safety by achieving Level 2 status in their Safety Management System (SMS) “Pilot Project.” When this program was retired in August 2014, SevenBar transitioned to the newly created SMS Voluntary Program in which we are recognized as an “Active Participant.” This status documents our ongoing effort to be recognized as in “Active Conformance” with the SMS standard as judged by the regulator.

SevenBar Aviation launched it's first rotor wing contract and partnered with LifeFlight of Maine for rotor wing services in April, 2015. At that time, both twin-engine Agusta109E helicopters were transitioned to the SevenBar Aviation Part 135 Certificate. LifeFlight of Maine is one of the busiest rotor wing programs in the country and provides life saving services to hundreds of citizens across the state every year.

In March of 2016, SevenBar Aviation partnered with the University of Virginia Health System and became their air medical operator for rotor wing operations. The Pegasus critical care transport program currently flies a twin-engine Agusta 109E aircraft and is a well respected and established hospital based transport program.

Later that same year, SevenBar Aviation added another rotor wing program- Lifeguard Air Emergency Services. Having had a long standing relationship with UNMH, the rotor wing service was a complimentary adjunct to the existing fixed wing program. Lifeguard flies an Agusta 119Kx helicopter and services the patients and citizens across New Mexico.

SevenBar Aviation celebrated 70 years of service! With nearly 100 employees, SevenBar Aviation has grown its geographic footprint and continues to add aircraft and services to its fleet. In mid 2017, the Life Flight of Maine program added their third rotor wing base in Sanford, Maine.

SevenBar Aviation became part of the Global Medical Response family of companies.

SevenBar Aviation’s Safety Management System was recognized by the FAA as compliant with FAR Part 5. Formal SMS development consists of voluntary SMS implementation by operators using FAA stated standards. Those standards are based the SMS framework specified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 19, and further detailed in ICAO document 9859, Safety Management Manual (SMM). Participation in this program signifies that Seven Bar Aviation LLC (GNLA), has implemented an SMS aligned with international standards. SevenBar Aviation is among less than 1% of all FAR Part 135 operators to achieve this level of recognition.