March 24, 2024
Following the launch of its Empyrean Jet Card recently, Air Charter Service said it has snagged former PrivateFly chairman George Rolls to serve as director, private jets. Speaking on the announcement, ACS’s CEO, Justin Bowman, said, “We are looking towards facilitating the next five years of growth – to do this we will be expanding not only our global network but also managing significant investment in technology and, potentially, new acquisitions of complementary businesses. George’s profile, contacts and extensive understanding of our industry will greatly enhance our experienced team.”
Rolls was chairman of PrivateFly during 2017, at which time he led activities for shareholders resulting in the acquisition of the broker by Directional Aviation Capital, which controls Flexjet, Sentient Jet and Skyjet. In a press release received by Private Jet Card Comparisons, ACS says Rolls brings “extensive experience in the world of private jet management, having spent six years with operators Hangar 8 and Gama Aviation.” As Senior independent non-executive director, Rolls advised on Hangar 8’s listing on London’s Stock Exchange, introducing both the acquisition of International JetClub and a subsequent reverse takeover of Gama Aviation, where he continued in that role helping with the integration of the two businesses.
Rolls said in a prepared statement, “I have known Chris Leach and his superb team for many years. I am delighted to be joining a world-class business where I can use the experience I have gained over the years in the aviation space with the impressive global infrastructure ACS has to offer”. Rolls is a trained helicopter pilot, a trustee of the Geoffrey de Havilland Flying Foundation and has served as Honorary Secretary to the Royal Air Squadron. He started his role at ACS at the end of September.
ACS in launching its jet card introduced an interesting twist that has now been copied by Dallas-based Vault Aviation. Both cards provide a fixed one-way hourly rate that acts as a ceiling with the providers attempting to beat that rate via playing the market, in the same way, one books-on-demand charter. ACS has fixed rate primary service areas in both the U.S. and Europe. Recently the company cracked the top 30 in The Sunday Times Top Track 250 which tracks Great Britain’s largest privately-held mid-market companies.
