Hartley (Hap) and Jane Westbrook started Hap's Air Service, Inc. in 1947, in Guthrie Center, IA. Hap returned from flying B-24 bombers in the European theater of WWII, where he spent two years as a POW. Afterwards, they moved the operation to Atlantic, IA in 1952, where they raised their five children and succeeded in turning a small fuel stop into one of the busiest airports in Southwest Iowa. Hap's made the final move to Ames in 1975, and the family has been instrumental in making the Ames airport one of the busiest airports in Iowa. Regrettably, in November 2000, the family lost Jane (our heart) and in October 2002, Hap (our leader) suffered a heart attack and passed away due to complications. In May of 2020, Hap and Jane's daughter, Diana, died suddenly. Her loss has been incredibly difficult for the family. Robert, Christa and the rest of the family have continued to hold true to Hap and Jane's core values for their business.  From our flight school to our award winning maintenance facility, our focus is and always has been on the best interest of our customers. Thanks to the love Hap had for his craft, the family has been instilled with a love of aviation and commitment to customer satisfaction. We work every day to keep the traditions and values the company was founded on in 1947 alive. 

Robert is the Director of Maintenance and is well known for his extensive knowledge of aviation. Robert and his team have made Hap's Air Service one of the most well known and respected maintenance shops in the Central United States. Christa has been an active piece of our management team for two decades. As the Director of Operations, she's responsible for the day-to-day operations and longevity of the company. Along with Diana and Robert's other daughter, Jennifer and her family, Hap's continues to be a family owned and run business.