October 5, 2024
AeroVanti’s founder is claiming the program will restart next month offering members discounted flights on an Embraer Phenom 100.
AeroVanti Founder Patrick Britton-Harr, facing a default judgment of $26.3 million in an unrelated Medicare fraud lawsuit by the Department of Justice, says the private jet membership club is restarting Nov. 1.
In a communication to members sent today, Britton-Harr wrote, “What I am about to share with you, I have discussed with a few supportive members already. However, I am sure this email will come as a surprise to many of you. AeroVanti is opening up Flight Operations on a Phenom 100 for reservations to begin November 1st, 2024.”
Britton-Harr (pictured right, with his father, who was chief pilot of AeroVanti at the outset) is facing possible jail time after being found in contempt of court orders in the DOJ’s case alleging Covid testing fraud.
The contempt charges stem from the sale of a house for $575,000.
That money was supposed to be deposited in a court account.
According to the Sarasota Business Journal, Britton-Harr could not pay the money and needed a court-appointed lawyer because, in part, “he was living off money borrowed from friends and family.”
Scott Hopes, who briefly served as CEO during 2023, previously said AeroVanti had racked up around $50 million in debts.
Many members believed their funds had been diverted to high-profile Major League Baseball and National Football League sponsorships.
However, the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers filed lawsuits seeking payment earlier this year.
The email to AeroVanti members read, “I have been working diligently on a solution for all our members to structure strategic relationships that will provide safe and reliable flight options under FAA Part 135 regulations at reasonable rates to also include providing full credit for every AeroVanti members previous purchased hours.”
Britton-Harr says the members can fly on a Phenom 100, applying a $1,500 credit to the retail at a $5,995 per hour rate until they recover their lost funds.
There will be an “online schedule, tracking, and instant booking application.”
He also said plans call for adding one to two Phenom 100s or Phenom 300s per month based on demand via a “financing facility.”
Britton-Harr’s email says takers will have their money protected:
‘Pay After you Fly – Access to Fintech Boutique Banking Account specifically designed for the Private Aviation and JetCard Industry.
Upload of new funds, escrow services, Prepaid BankCard issued on the Mastercard Network for access to funds at all times.
With this account, flight funds will be fully secured and only deducted from members account after successful completion of trip.
Use BankCard and account for all transactions that accept MasterCard, convert funds into 26 different currencies and ACH/Wire transfers to alternative flight operators.
Full Reporting and Management of JetCard or any related Aviation related financial services. Protected from Financial Fraud – ISO 27001.’
Private Jet Card Comparisons was the first to report that AeroVanti was grounded in June 2023.
The company also missed payroll for several weeks.
Britton-Harr disputed our report, which proved to be accurate, in interviews with other media.
That followed the first of more than a half-dozen lawsuits from members, beginning in May 2023.
Allegations include that funds escrowed to buy leased airplanes were released, but the payments to the airplane owners were never made.
Britton-Harr’s email to members closed, “Over the next few days, I will call each one of you personally to discuss your membership and this program and answer any questions you may have.”
When we asked one member who received the email if he planned to talk with Britton-Harr, the member told us, “In response to his idiotic email? No. The guy is a sociopath.”
Asked the same question, another member replied with a laughing emoji.
AeroVanti had promised cheap private flights using a fleet of Piaggio P.180s with hourly rates under $2,000.
Britton-Harr did not respond immediately with a request for comments.
READ: Caveat Emptor: Avoiding private jet scams, bankruptcies, and shutdowns
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