International Trip Support Should Feel Personal
Atlas Trip Support was born from a simple idea: international trip support should feel personal.
After years of working in the international flight-support industry, Rick Wolfer saw firsthand what was missing. Large trip-support companies could provide the services operators needed, but too often the personal connection was lost. Clients might speak with one person today and someone completely different tomorrow having to explain their needs all over again.
Rick believed there was a better way.
He envisioned a company where clients weren’t simply color coded or another trip number in a system, but people you got to know and relationships you built. A company where experienced professionals understood each client’s operation, anticipated their needs, and were there for them 24/7 from the initial trip planning through the completion of every flight.
That vision became Atlas Trip Support: personalized international flight support built around relationships, responsiveness, experience, and the belief that when you call, you should know who’s on the other end of the line.
Nearly 50 Years of Aviation Experience Behind That Vision
Rick’s understanding of international flight operations didn’t begin in the corporate world. It was built over a career spanning nearly five decades.
His aviation career began in 1976 when he joined the U.S. Air Force as a Flight Operations Support Specialist. Over the next 21 years, Rick served in a variety of Flight Operations positions, with assignments taking him and his family around the world, including Guam, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.
Those years gave Rick much more than an education in aviation. They gave him firsthand experience operating in different countries, cultures, and environments—and an understanding of just how important preparation, communication, and trusted people on the ground can be when operating internationally.
During his overseas assignments, Rick served as Director of Ground Operations for numerous aircraft operated by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. White House. His responsibilities included obtaining international overflight and landing permits as well as diplomatic aircraft clearances for Air Force One missions.
Trusted With Presidential Operations
In 1991, Rick was accepted into the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) as a Defense Attaché Operations Coordinator.
In that role, he directly supervised the handling of several U.S. State Department, and seven Presidential / Vice-Presidential international trip operations where attention to detail, discretion, preparation, and reliability were essential.
Rick concluded his military career with numerous honors, including being selected as the 1995 Defense Intelligence Agency Defense Attaché Person of the Year and receiving Defense, Air Force, and Joint Meritorious medals.
Bringing That Experience to Business Aviation
After completing his military service in 1997, Rick earned his FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Certificate and brought his extensive international operations experience into civilian aviation.
He worked for several international flight-support companies, becoming both a Master Flight Operations Specialist and a Master Flight Planner. He later served as Director of Flight Coordination for Vulcan Flight Management, arranging and managing global travel for Paul Allen and his family. Rick was also responsible for coordinating flight operations and logistical movements for three professional sports teams.
These experiences allowed Rick to see international trip support from virtually every angle from military and diplomatic missions to private aviation, corporate operations, high-profile travelers, and professional sports.
And through all of it, one thing became increasingly clear:
Great trip support isn’t just about arranging permits, handling, fuel, hotels, transportation, and logistics. It’s about having someone you trust in taking ownership of your trip.
A Different Kind of Trip Support Company
When Rick set out to build his own flight-support operation, he wanted to create the kind of service he believed operators deserved.
Not a call center.
Not a revolving door of people who had to learn your operation every time you called.
And not a company where you became just another account number.
Instead, Atlas was built around personal relationships and continuity of service.
We take the time to learn how our clients operate, understand their preferences, and know what matters to them. When something changes, as it inevitably can in international aviation, you have an experienced team that already understands your trip and can respond quickly.
That philosophy helped Rick build successful international flight-support operations serving private flight departments and major corporations and generating millions of dollars in annual business.
But growth was never the only measure of success.
For Rick, the real measure has always been whether clients know they can pick up the phone, call someone they trust, and know that person will take ownership of getting the job done.
Experience You Can Call 24/7
Perhaps one of the best descriptions of what Rick set out to create comes from a corporate chief pilot who has worked with Rick and Atlas for more than a decade.
He described Rick and his team as responsive, knowledgeable, and dependable, particularly when plans change, something unexpected happens, or an aircraft is operating into a location where experience matters. Most importantly, he highlighted the personal level of service, noting that clients work with experienced aviation professionals who understand the operational side of the business and take ownership of getting the trip handled properly.
That is exactly what Atlas was created to provide.
Our Philosophy Hasn’t Changed
Aviation has changed tremendously since Rick began his career in 1976. Technology has changed. Aircraft have changed. Regulations have changed. And the world has become increasingly connected.
But Rick believes one thing should never change:
The value of personal service.
For nearly three decades, his guiding philosophy has remained the same:
Provide honest and transparent service and seamless travel experiences for each and every client.
Today, that philosophy remains at the heart of Atlas Trip Support.
Because when you’re flying halfway around the world and plans suddenly change, you don’t just need a service provider.
You need someone who knows you, knows your operation, and answers the phone.