BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT:Flights of fancy

If Valentine’s Day didn’t go as planned, don’t worry. It’s not too late to whisk your honey away on a romantic rendezvous in the sky.

Ryan Davis, is an impassioned young man who wants to share his love of flying and sprawling aerial views with everyone he can. Davis’s company, OC Air Tours, offers aerial tours in small planes of Southern California.

“It’s a great experience to be able to take people up and show them a different view,” Davis said, standing near one of the four-seat planes he flies out of John Wayne Airport.

Five years ago Davis says he was bitten by the flying bug, after he went on a demonstration flight in a small plane.

“I loved it and ever since that day I’ve been just addicted,” said Davis, 22.

After that, he set about getting every flying license he could. After receiving his commercial license about a year ago, Davis decided to start his business.

Since then, he’s partnered with Ben Bennani, who owns a Costa Mesa-based car rental company. Bennani owns a custom-made limousine that he and Davis use to offer door-to-door service for people who want to see Southern California from up high.

“We might as well take them first class all the way,” Bennani said.

The most popular tours include a flight to Catalina. Davis will land the plane there so the couple, family or group — he can now take up to three people on the flight — can get out.

They then take off again so they can see the backside of the island as well as its two harbors. He’ll take people on tours of the Southern California coastline from San Clemente to Long Beach.

One of his favorites, but not yet as popular, is his flight to Saddleback Mountains.

“But basically it’s up to them where we go,” Davis said. “We want to maximize their pleasure by going wherever they’d like the most.”

The packages range from $100 to about $300 for an hour and 15 minutes in the air. The higher-end packages include the limousine and sometimes dinner.

Davis doesn’t yet own his own plane, but rents one, which he said helps him to have flexibility in scheduling.

Bennani and Davis need only about two-day’s notice to prepare for a flight and welcome people who haven’t flown in a small plane. They can arrange for a videographer or photographer to document the trip.

Along with fun or romantic trips, Davis also offers more practical flight services and can transport anyone who wishes to other Southern California airports. For more information go to www.ocairtours.com.