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Tradewind Aviation is a Part 135 scheduled commuter airline and on-demand charter operator headquartered at Waterbury-Oxford Airport (OXC) in Oxford, Connecticut. The company operates a fleet of 30+ Pilatus PC-12 aircraft — making it the second-largest PC-12 operator in the United States and the largest in scheduled service — with 125 active pilots and zero furloughed. Tradewind's ATC callsign is "Goodspeed" (ICAO: GPD).
Founded in 2001 by brothers Eric Zipkin (President) and David Zipkin (VP/CMO) with a single pilot and one Cessna Caravan, Tradewind has grown into the dominant scheduled turboprop carrier connecting the Northeast corridor with the Caribbean and Bahamas. The company is non-union and has an AirlinePilotCentral listing. Tradewind added 20 new PC-12 aircraft in 2024 alone and has airline partnerships with both JetBlue (Gateways program) and United (Aviate program).
For interview purposes, Tradewind is best described as a high-volume single-engine turboprop operator that offers a unique combination of scheduled and charter flying in desirable destinations — Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, St. Barths, and the Bahamas — with airline-style partnerships and a structured career path. Starting FO pay is $50,000/year with Captain starting at $70,000/year, and pilots receive 13 guaranteed days off per month. The company is actively hiring with 27 open positions.
Sources listed at the end of each profile. Data compiled from public filings, airline newsrooms, AirlinePilotCentral, Glassdoor, FAA records, and industry publications.