Private Aviation Industry News

Private Jet Services (PJS), a worldwide aviation consulting firm, has been named one of the nation's fastest growing companies on the Inc. 5000 list for 2015, according to a release by the company. PJS, now in it's 12th year,  achieved 136% overall revenue growth over the recent 3-year period 2012-2014, and ranks #2,688 of 5,000 on this year's list.  A repeat appearance, PJS achieved #2,410 on the 2014 list. “It is an honor to be recognized among the fastest-growing companies in the country. This type of recognition really validates our success in meeting the evolving aviation needs of our expanding client base,” said PJS Founder and CEO Greg Raiff in the statement. “To have appeared two years in a row speaks volumes about our exceptional repeat client rate.” Based in Seabrook, NH, Private Jet Services Group clients include Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, collegiate sports teams, the world’s biggest bands, private fliers and government workers.  PJS offers fully tailored, on-demand aviation solutions to its clients. Founded in 2003 by Greg Raiff, PJS procures on behalf of those clients both VIP and standard configured airliners, regional aircraft, as well as light, midsize, and large cabin executive jets.

Aircraft Management Group, Inc., a provider of aircraft management and consulting services, as well as private aircraft charter through their AMG Jets division, is eager to announce the addition of a 2015 Citation Latitude to their charter certificate. Aircraft Management Group, Inc. is the first company in the world to have the Latitude available for charter. The aircraft will spend half of the year based out of KPIT (Pittsburgh International Airport) and the other half based in KPBI (Palm Beach International Airport).

The 9-passenger Citation Latitude jet boasts the most spacious and most refined cabin environment in the midsize jet category. At 77 inches wide, six feet tall and more than 21 feet long with a flat floor, and stand up cabin, the Latitude was built for comfort.

The Latitude is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW306D engines that will power it to a projected speed of just over 440 knots. Its range is 2,850 nm, and its runway takeoff distance is a remarkable 3,668 feet. “What’s appealing is that it’s got the amenities of larger aircraft but the flexibility to fly into short fields with trans-continental range” said John Sieckowski, President and Owner of Aircraft Management Group, Inc.  “That appeals to a lot of customers.” AMG has grown exponentially since they received their Air Carrier Certificate in 2009 with no sign of slowing down. Including the Latitude, AMG has added three aircraft to their Part 135 certificate in 2015. In total, AMG operates six aircraft including two Beechjet 400As, two Hawker 400XP’s, a Citation CJ3 and now the Citation Latitude. “With the addition of the Latitude, we expect to expand our customer base by being able to offer flights to the west coast and Europe” said Shannon Pennypacker, Director of Charter Sales and Marketing. All 6 of AMG's charter jets are available ONLY in FlightList PRO.

Aircraft Management Group and it's charter division AMG Jets took delivery of one of the first Citation Latitudes.  It is the first Latitude available for charter. The Citation Latitude jet boasts the most spacious and most refined cabin environment in the midsize jet category.  At 77 inches wide, six feet tall and more than 21 feet long with a flat floor, and stand up cabin, the Latitude was built for comfort.  The aircraft comfortably seats 9 passengers and features a cruciform tail and all metal fuselage. Citation Latitude Quick Specs: Midsize Business Jet, seats 9 max. Cabin Dimensions; W 6'5", H 6'0", L 21'9" Baggage Capacity; 127 cu.ft. Range 2,850 NM Part-135 nonstop coast to coast Speed 440 KTS

Update: Private Air is no longer operating - has ceased business.  Suggested is the 14-year charter powerhouse New Flight Charters with their best-price-guarantee for any flight, and largest aircraft selection and pricing options.

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All-you-can-fly between Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa/Clearwater/St Petersburg for a monthly fee of $950 is now offered by new Miami, FL-based company Private Air.  According to a company press release, flights will start in October and Private Air is accepting membership applications from those in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa/Clearwater/St Petersburg areas. Private Air is also launching a Florida-New York all-you-can-fly membership program for $9,900/month, between Miami/Ft Lauderdale and Teterboro NJ, using Hawker 400XP aircraft according to the company website.[website is down] Stephane Hoinville, President of Private Air, is a 25-year aviation veteran with experience as an executive jet and commercial jet pilot for South Florida executive and airline operators until he co-founded a successful Miami based aviation company 19 years ago as part-owner and president. "We are truly excited to bring to South Florida a really unique experience which is going to revolutionize air travel in our state. We are pleased to offer our members access to the world of executive aviation with its efficiency and convenience at a fraction of its normal cost and for a cost much lower than using airlines," said Hoinville.  "Members can fly as much as they can between the areas of Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa/Clearwater/St Petersburg and will also be able to fly unlimited to other areas in Florida once they are added for the same low monthly fee covering all areas.  Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Palm Beach are some of the areas we plan to add in the near future." Florida and New York flights are provided by FAA Part 135 certified Air Carriers selected by Private Air.

Charter membership firm Wheels Up took delivery of one-of-a-kind, pink Beechcraft King Air 350i from Textron Aviation on Friday that will serve as the flagship of the company's Breast Cancer Awareness initiative. Dubbed the Pink Plane, it is the 45th aircraft in the Wheels Up fleet and will enter revenue service beginning October 1, just in time for the start of Breast Cancer Awareness month. The aircraft will support Wheel Up’s commitment to raising awareness and funds for the Dubin Breast Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Wheels Up will donate a portion of the fees for each new membership in October to the Dubin Breast Center. In addition, the company will have a fly-a-thon to encourage current Wheels Up Members to donate to the Dubin Breast Center for every revenue hour flown by the Pink Plane. Wheels Up Members will also be able to make a one-time donation or pledge a dollar amount of their choice for every revenue hour they fly in October. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L__tHkr_UY[/embed] Courtesy AIN and Wichita Eagle.

JFI Jets, a global leader in private jet charter, aircraft management and maintenance, has begun providing on-demand charter service to Cuba from its aircraft bases in Southern, and Northern California, the New York metropolitan area Wilmington, Delaware and throughout the United States. "Few private charter carriers have the necessary certifications to fly to Cuba presently and even fewer have the local knowledge and contacts on the ground that are key to executing a flawless trip,” says David J. Rimmer, president of JFI Jets, adding, “at JFI we have both. We can provide a level of convenience, customer service and expertise that is unparalleled in the private jet charter industry.” While JFI Jets has all of the necessary clearances to land in Cuba, at the present time U.S. citizens are required to comply with U.S. Government restrictions for Cuban travel, which are outlined on the U.S. Treasury Fact Sheet. Flights to Cuba must also originate from U.S. Government-designated gateway cities. Rimmer encouraged booking as early as possible to ensure availability, saying. “Our first flight on the heels of Secretary of State Kerry raising the flag at the U.S. Embassy in Havana recently was perfect.” Courtesy Luxury Travel Magazine  

OneJet is taking the next step in building its scheduled charter network with the addition of a route between its Indianapolis International Airport base and Nashville International Airport in Tennessee. OneJet, which offers service under Part 135 with DOT Part 380 economic authority, plans to add the new route beginning September 8 with flights from Indianapolis to Nashville in the morning and returning to Indianapolis in the late afternoon. Pentastar Aviation Charter, Inc. earlier this year was named the direct air carrier for OneJet, a provider of regional scheduled nonstop flights in the Eastern U.S. Based at KMKE Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport and KIND Indianapolis International Airport, OneJet began service on April 6, 2015.  Pentastar Aviation Charter, Inc. operates a fleet of Hawker 400 aircraft on behalf of OneJet. The addition of Nashville follows the introduction of flights to Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Memphis earlier this year. The company uses three Hawker 400XPs for the service, with Pentastar Aviation operating the flights. OneJet said its load factors have increased to about 80-percent network-wide. “The addition of Nashville as a destination city is part of OneJet’s multi-phase expansion plan to grow our network of nonstop regional travel,” OneJet CEO Matthew Maguire said. “Nashville has been one of the key destinations demanded by both Indianapolis corporate and community leadership.” OneJet added that it already has received a strong reception, with companies such as Crowe Horwath booking. Matthew Maguire, OneJet Chief Executive Officer, continued:  "To-date, OneJet has surpassed its 1000^th passenger carried, serving the frequent business traveler as well as becoming a preferred vendor to numerous Fortune 500 companies. As we allocate additional capacity to our focus cities over the course of this coming year, and from those points to an increasing number of destinations, OneJet will continue to expand its network to deliver nonstop service in regional air markets across the country." OneJet plans to continue adding locations, with more announcements anticipated over the next year. The company is targeting markets within a 500- to 1,000-mile range that have strong local corporate bases and have “a meaningful demand to the other points already in the market.”   Courtesy Aviation International News Contributing

Charter operator and private aviation company Meridian, based at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, NJ, is pleased to announce that Chris Battaglia has been named Director of Charter Sales, according to a release from the company. Mr. Battaglia is a business aviation veteran with thirteen years of charter sales experience, six years of financial management experience, and is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Mr. Battaglia will be responsible for executing the long-term sales strategy of Meridian Air Charter, managing the daily operations of charter sales, and developing the West Coast charter business, which will be based at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) in Hayward, CA, once the FBO and hangar facilities are completed in 2016. Chris began his aviation career in 2002 with TAG Aviation starting as a Charter Services Representative. Over the years, he was promoted to roles of increasing responsibility, until he left the company as Director of Charter Services. In 2009, he continued his aviation career at TWC Aviation, where he was eventually promoted to VP of Charter Sales. He was responsible for all charter activities in both the wholesale and retail sales areas, while managing a large team of charter sales directors and representatives. Dennis O’Connell, President of Meridian Air Charter, had this to say, “Chris brings a wealth of charter experience and knowledge to our company. He is joining us during an exciting period of growth as we continue to expand our fleet and build our operation in California. We are looking forward to him helping us get to the next level, and we are very happy to have him on our team.” All 22 Meridian charter aircraft are available only in FlightList PRO.

Air Partner plc, the air charter brokerage and global aviation services group, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Baines Simmons Limited, a world leading Aviation Safety Consultant for a total net cash consideration of up to £6.0 million.

Founded in 2001, Baines Simmons is a trusted consultant and adviser to more than 750 aviation organizations and more than 40 aviation authorities and has helped develop the skills and expertise of more than 120,000 aviation professionals. The business has grown to be recognized as a leading authority in Aviation Safety Consultancy, specializing in aviation regulation, compliance and safety management, advising clients across civil and military markets such as KLM, SAS, Thomas Cook, Thomson, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, The Isle of Man Government, BAE Systems, MoD, Rolls Royce, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Airbus, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and UK Military Aviation Authority (MAA). The reputation of the Baines Simmons brand and the expertise of its employees within the aviation sector are key elements which should enable the business to help shape the evolving safety requirements in the industry and in particular, the sub-sectors of aviation regulation, compliance and safety management performance. Baines Simmons will provide Air Partner with the opportunity to extend the Group's service and product capabilities which will complement and enhance its existing brokering business. The acquisition reiterates Air Partner’s commitment to maintaining the highest possible standards in aviation safety.   Baines Simmons brings with it an unrivaled client list built on a solid foundation of expertise coupled with a strong and credible industry reputation. Mark Briffa, Chief Executive of Air Partner, said: "The acquisition of Baines Simmons is an exciting step for Air Partner. We look forward to working with the team at Baines Simmons on a range of strategic and complimentary growth opportunities from new regulatory changes, busier skies, greater organisational complexities, geographic expansion and new performance products and services." Following acquisition, Baines Simmons will continue to be managed by its current executive team led by Managing Director, Andrew Parker and founders, Keven Baines and Bob Simmons.