Flying Farewells: Cremation Air Brings Innovation and Dignity to Aerial Ash Scatterings
When you think of cremated remains scattering from an airplane, you might imagine a cinematic, peaceful moment—a graceful release into the sky. But for most people, that romantic image comes with a long list of logistical, regulatory, and technical challenges. Pat Kane, Business Development Strategist for Cremation Air, LLC, says that’s exactly why the company exists: to make dignified, trackable aerial scatterings possible—and easy—for funeral directors to offer to their families.
Cremation Air, founded by the Czachor family of ASD – Answering Service for Directors, is the newest venture from a name already known and trusted in deathcare. The company operates a Beechcraft Bonanza G36, piloted by Andrew Czachor, the son of ASD’s Chief Technology Officer Marty Czachor. From conception to takeoff, the entire project has been a family effort grounded in care, precision, and respect.
Business to business, by design
While a handful of other companies offer aerial scatterings directly to consumers, Cremation Air’s model is designed specifically for deathcare professionals.
“That’s the big difference,” Kane says. “With ASD’s foundation in deathcare, we wanted this to be business-to-business—to help directors offer families something meaningful and unique, while also putting some revenue back in their pockets.”
Cremation Air’s process is streamlined with directors in mind. Everything is handled through a simple, trackable system: directors submit an online order, include the necessary documents (cremation certificate and authorization to scatter), and ship the cremated remains to Cremation Air via USPS. From there, every step—receipt, flight scheduling, scattering—is tracked through a barcode system that provides updates to both the director and, optionally, the family.
“We knew tracking was critical,” Kane says. “When Kathy Czachor Kelley went to one of the women’s professional conferences, she came back saying, ‘We have to knock this out of the park from a tracking point of view.’ That’s where most horror stories come from, and we wanted to eliminate that.”
A new kind of memorial experience
Each family receives a tribute video showing the aircraft in flight and the scattering ceremony, along with a certificate of scattering. In the near future, families will be able to link the video directly to an obituary page, or even receive it on an elegant LCD memorial booklet that plays the video when opened—something Kane says could replace the “urn on the mantle.” At $395 per individual scattering, the service is accessible for many families and gives directors flexibility in pricing.
The current operations serve the East Coast and Gulf Coast regions as well as the Great Lakes, with hangars in Philadelphia and Tampa. Each flight follows strict FAA guidelines, releasing remains three miles offshore from the selected coastal location or over designated bodies of water.
The human connection behind the mission
Although the technology and logistics behind Cremation Air are impressive, Kane says it’s the human element that truly defines the company. A former educator and school administrator, he came to deathcare through personal connections with the Czachor family—first as a teacher and coach to Andrew, then as a collaborator on the project.
“Andrew is 25 years old and is so thorough about the process,” Kane says. “He makes you feel so comfortable about getting up in that plane, which is the most important thing. So for him at that age, to be the way that he is, it’s really remarkable. I give him so much credit for wanting to do this.”
That same commitment, Kane believes, mirrors the heart of funeral service.
“The grieving process has ebbs and flows,” he says. “If a director can connect with a family—make them laugh when they need to laugh, help them remember in the right way—that’s what makes the difference. Funeral directors are part of their communities; they really care. This service is just one more way to help them care.”
For families, aerial scattering through Cremation Air offers a poetic and respectful way to say goodbye. For directors, it’s a new opportunity to extend service and create value in the era of cremation.
“If a family has someone who loved the ocean, or who served in the Navy, or who was a pilot themselves—this is a natural fit,” Kane says. “And the best part is, they can still do everything else: keepsake jewelry, memorial items, urns. This isn’t an either/or. It’s an and.”
