Aircraft management services provider Solairus boosted the dimensions of its activities last yr, reporting growth in its fleet, flight activity, and employees. In keeping with the U.S. group, most of its growth last yr was through the addition of long-range, large-cabin, and super-midsize business jets, which accounted for 87 percent of the brand new fleet. These segments also constitute 88 percent of its fleet of 325 aircraft.
Most of this fleet, which grew by almost 9 percent last yr, is operated for personal owners under Part 91, with almost 1 / 4 on its Part 135 certificate and available for charter. In keeping with Solairus, the variety of legs flown in 2023 was up by about 1 percent and flight hours grew by 2 percent.
The massive-cabin portion of the fleet now includes 103 aircraft and there are 45 super-midsize jets. The arrival of 18 long-range aircraft last yr represented a growth rate of 16 percent, and these accounted for nearly 70 percent of all latest additions. Gulfstream (127 aircraft), Bombardier (111), and Dassault (41) now account for the overwhelming majority of the fleet composition, but more Embraer-made equipment was added in 2023 on the fastest growth rate of 20 percent.
Last yr, Solairus’ customers made almost 35,000 flights, logging 74,000 flight hours and operating to 1,334 airports in all 50 U.S. states and 125 other countries. The most well-liked U.S. airports were within the Latest York area (Teterboro and White Plains); Van Nuys, Oakland, and San Jose, California; Boston-area Bedford; Chicago; Dallas; West Palm Beach; and Miami. Probably the most steadily visited countries were Mexico, Canada, the UK, Italy, and France.
The expansion of the Solairus fleet prompted the corporate, which has offices in Petaluma, California, and Purchase, Latest York, so as to add 320 employees to a full- and part-time payroll now numbering 2,099 people. These latest arrivals included 230 full-time pilots, 56 maintenance supervisors, and 29 flight attendants.
Solairus said it goals to rent over 300 latest crew members in 2024. Its presence next week on the NBAA Regional Forum at Miami-Opa Locka Airport is a component of this recruitment drive. At this event, it is going to be particularly focused on meeting qualified captains and maintenance supervisors.
“I’m humbled and energized by the religion and trust owners place in us to soundly manage and support their flight departments,” said Solairus CEO Dan Drohan. “We’ve got a remarkable, growing team of dedicated aviation professionals and we attempt day-after-day to deliver the most effective, personalized ownership experience to every client we’re fortunate enough to serve. One among our founding goals was to develop into large enough to matter while remaining sufficiently small to care. Definitely, the sort of growth makes us large enough to matter. We work tirelessly, day-after-day, to stay sufficiently small to care.”