Charlie had started out as an "airport kid" at Mattituck on the eastern end of Long Island, New York, and learned to fly there. After 5 years as an air taxi pilot and owner Charlie went back to school an got his A&P license. He went back to Mattituck in April 1972 winding up as sales and production manager for the highly regarded Mattituck Airbase. In 1984 van Dusen purchased Mattituck and sent Charlie to Griffith Indiana to manage it's G&N engine overhual operation. That lasted 4 years and 3 more sales of the company. In 1988 he joined Penn Yan Aero Service in Penn Yan, NY as V.P. general manager where he stayed until opening zephyr in 1992.

Charlie currently owns 2 aircraft, a twin Comanche and a 180 HP Warrior and has now logged almost 9,500 flying hours. The twin is for commuting to the Bahamas and the Warrior is a shop airplane often used as a "loaner."

Herman Vollrath VP, shop manager and co-founder of Zephyr Aircraft Engines. Herman holds a A&P and I.A. as well as being a private pilot single engine land and sea. Starting with Zephyr Aviation in 1975 and later Zephyr Engine Service he has worked continuously in the same location for 26 years. Herman has personally assembled close to 2,000 engines.