McGrath sells Island Air to partners
BY MARY LANCASTER
The planes are still his, but Bill McGrath, Jr. last Thursday sold the Island Air business to the three partners in IAP LLC headed by current Island Air president W. Scott LaForge.

McGrath, who has been in the airline industry for more than three decades and founded Island Air in 1991, said he just

wants to relax a little.

"I'm getting old," joked the 54-year-old Nantucket resident. "I've been in the business for over 30 years and decided I wanted to do other things - to kick back and enjoy life."

Yet, McGrath will stay busy enough as a Federal Aviation Administration designated pilot examiner issuing licenses, as an aircraft mechanic, a part-time training pilot for Island Air and flying his own fleet of six antique planes. He also has a company that leases aircraft, including the eight, nine-passenger Cessna 402s that the partnership will rent for Island Air.

McGrath is pleased to turn over his airline to qualified men he is sure will uphold Island Air's reputation.

"The three gentlemen are people I've been associated with for many, many years and I feel confident in their ability to carry on," said McGrath. "The goal here is that Island Airlines will continue to provide service to Nantucket as it has."

IAP's partners besides LaForge are Cape residents Brent Hanley and Ed Zeglen. Hanley is a pilot, an FAA check pilot and experienced businessman. Zeglen's expertise is in aircraft maintenance and human relations. LaForge, also a Cape resident, is a pilot and was with Gull Air from 1975 until it closed in 1987. That year he co-founded Nantucket Air with Chuck Harris. In 1994 Nantucket Air merged with Cape Air and he remained with the company as vice-president until moving over to Island Air as president in 2004.

LaForge said the partners have no plans to change Island Air's focus on the Nantucket/Hyannis market and air freight other than to encourage all staff to do what they already do even better. He is very excited about the venture.

"A big part is that combined we represent 75 years of aviation experience. I think it was time to have ownership in the business. Brent and I were both employed by Island Airlines so it will be coming to work as usual," said LaForge. "I'm thrilled. I'm still pinching myself. Bill and I had the deal written on a napkin that looked very simple, but by the time we got done with attorneys and accountants it was three-quarters of a year

from concept to completion." I