Stewart Hamel is a regular uShip customer from Shreveport, La. He’s also a businessman with an affinity for extreme sports. He got pumped on skydiving during college and would make countless jumps throughout the following years – none more memorable than a 10,000-foot jump in 2005.
Stewart and team were all smiles as they fell from the plane that day – until Stewart deployed the chute. It got partially hung up on his equipment, causing the parachute to “horseshoe” – meaning the canopy opened improperly and became entangled. At 3,000 feet, Stewart had dislocated his shoulder. By the time he met the ground, he had a grade three hamstring tear and complete tears of his major and minor right pectoral muscles. Stewart found himself in a wheelchair for two months, with doctor’s orders to find a new hobby.
What was a grounded aerial adventurer to do?
The answer is…a lot. Stewart grew his business investments as a venture capitalist, bought a ranch in Colorado, got his postgraduate diploma at Oxford, and later served as a board member there. It was during that time when he was introduced to the concept of a flying ATV through the British company, Parajet. This was everything Stewart had been missing in his life, and he was ready to jump in with both feet. He had big plans for the concept, and through his investment company, he was able to take the idea under his wing and make it soar.
BORN ON THE BAYOU
After returning to Shreveport and conducting three years of research and development, Stewart introduced the world to SkyRunner – the ultimate flying ATV. In March 2016, it made its public debut at the Palm Beach International Boat Show – a funny choice for a machine designed for ground and air, but not the water. It turned out being a great decision considering the massive crowds – all sports enthusiasts who’ll spare no expense for a cool new toy. With grounds speeds of over 70 mph and air speeds up to 52 mph, this hybrid fun machine is a thrill seeker’s dream.
Stewart and his team created their product with the wealthy recreationist in mind – as well as the rancher and sportsman looking for ways to access vast and treacherous areas of land. Soon, they were getting calls from ranchers spanning Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and beyond. Many of these guys would shell out good money on regular helicopter rentals for tasks like herding cattle, surveying land, and hunting hogs. To them, the $139,000 it costs to own a SkyRunner isn’t a frivolous expense. It’s an investment.
The SkyRunner ATVs can travel 120 miles in the air on 16 gallons of fuel. (photo via flyskyrunner.com)
WHAT GOES UP, MUST COME DOWN
As interest in SkyRunner grew, so too did Stewart’s interest in the logistics process required to get parts, materials and his ATV units delivered nationwide. Initial options proved to be expensive, complicated, and generally, time consuming.
In search of a more affordable, reliable solution, Stewart and his team went online and discovered uShip, where they were able to get direct access to published rates from over 30 less-than-truckload professional carriers. In an instant, shipping was as easy as buying an airline ticket.
LTL carrier quotes on uship.com
COME FLY WITH ME
Finding uShip came in the nick of time. It wasn’t long before rescue workers and police agencies started knocking on the door. Due to budget cuts across the U.S., most local law enforcement agencies can’t afford to own or operate their own aircraft. In fact, out of 18,000 police agencies, only 300 are able to get in the air. Police aviation is used for search and rescue, patrol, high-speed car pursuits, and more. The budget-friendly SkyRunner could give them the edge they needed to fight crime and protect their communities, at a cost they could afford.
The U.S. Department of Defense also wanted in on the flying ATV. In fact, they’ve had a major interest in SkyRunner since 2014, and have been consultants throughout the R&D phases. Together with eight military contractors, they’re now actually the company’s biggest clients with 28 end users. Like everyone else, the military was sold on the versatility and safety of SkyRunner.
It’s the military functionality that gives Stewart the most pride in his product. SkyRunner actually helps save the lives of American soldiers in what could be their final hours on the field. How many entrepreneurs can claim credentials like that?
SkyRunner boasts a ton of features making it the perfect fit for their wide range of clientele.
The SkyRunner is approved by the FAA for light sport. (photo via flyskyrunner.com)
Versatility. No traditional runway needed. The SkyRunner can take off and land on almost any terrain with just 250-500 feet of clearance and a ground speed of 35 mph. Uphill? Rocky ridge? Bring it. The SkyRunner has the capacity for a variety of uses with two passenger seats and the same useful load specs as a Cessna 152.
Usability. You don’t need to spend 18 months on a pilot’s license to fly a SkyRunner. Since it’s been approved by the FAA for light sport, SkyRunner pilots can be certified and in the air in just one week’s time. Lower speeds, simple functionality, and maximum safety features mean less training. The design of SkyRunner is so simple, it’s genius. There are two engines – one for land and one for air – and they both take the same fuel. With 16 gallons of gas, you can get 240 miles on the ground and 120 miles in the air. SkyRunners are easily serviced by any Aviation Maintenance Professional.
Safety. The SkyRunner was designed on no-fail technology. If an engine goes out, you can still land. If you have just one axle, you can still perform. This is thanks to the separate drive systems for ground and air that kick in to assist in the event that one fails.
Thanks to the awesome SkyRunner design, aviation, and materials teams, as well as valuable research and development contributors, SkyRunner is flying pretty high in just its first year on the market. The team is having a challenging time meeting demand, but that’s a good problem to have. Right now they have three bays and can produce three to five machines per bay each month. SkyRunner is looking up, up, and away to a bright future as they continue to build a growing community connected by the joy and utility of the flying ATV.
Since discovering uShip, SkyRunner has booked over 50 shipments, including five finished ATVs heading to their new homes.
At uShip, we dig SkyRunner because they’re such a fun company – and they ship with us a lot! uShip Account Manager, Natalie, helps them transport both inbound materials and outbound finished products. She loves working with SkyRunner “because every time I talk with them I can hear how much they love what they do and how they are unapologetically changing the way we see vehicles and offroading.”
We always enjoy learning about amazing companies, like SkyRunner, who use uShip to help move their businesses. Are you a company with a great story? Let us know! We’d love to share it in an upcoming issue.
