October 20, 2024
Founder Patrick Britton-Harr emailed members saying AeroVanti flew a member flight this morning from Naples, Florida, to Baltimore, Maryland.
Troubled AeroVanti has apparently taken off again, per its Founder, Patrick Britton-Harr.
In an email to members of the indebted and previously grounded private flight program, Britton-Harr wrote, “We have successfully completed the initial kick-off flight for this Phenom program!”
A picture of the aircraft sent by Britton-Harr appears above.
He continued:
‘The Flight occurred this morning on a trip from Naples, Florida to Baltimore, Maryland.
A short testimonial from the Member… ‘Hi, beautiful flight day. Not a cloud. It’s easy. Crew hospitable. Aircraft is nice and clean. Really good for 2 or 4 people. Next you need a 300….’
Our next scheduled flight is from Marco Island to Philadelphia on 11/28.
The Aircraft is now in Baltimore and is available to book between 11/25-11/27 and December/January trips. We have an available leg If any of you have a need to travel south between Monday and Wednesday before the Thanksgiving Holiday.’
Britton-Harr added, “Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to speak with me directly; I greatly appreciate the opportunity and conversations. Thank you to all of you who are actively supporting our restart with your booked trips. I look forward to the opportunity of rebuilding your confidence.”
According to FlightRadar24, N669AG, a Phenom 100, departed Naples Municipal Airport just after 9 am this morning and flew to Baltimore with a stop in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina.
The 2010 VLJ is managed by Hangar Aviation in Henderson, Nevada, and appears on the FAA’s current registry of aircraft that can be chartered under Part 135 regulations.
Before stopping flights in June 2023, AeroVanti operated flights under Part 91 Subpart F, which attracted the FAA’s scrutiny.
Britton-Harr announced the relaunch in October.
When we asked one member who received the relaunch 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.”
Britton-Harr and AeroVanti have been hit with multiple lawsuits from members and partners.
The Chicago Cubs alleged unpaid sponsorships.
Scott Hopes, who briefly served as CEO, said the 2021 start-up had accrued as much as $50 million in liabilities.
An October 2022 press release claiming AeroVanti had secured a $100 million investment was false.
Members who had paid $150,000 for AeroVanti to lease, buy, and refurbish Piaggio P.180s found AeroVanti failed to pay the leases, and their money was gone.
A lawyer representing several members said at the time AeroVanti had the “hallmarks of a Ponzi scheme.”
In a ruling filed on Nov. 20, 2023, a Maryland judge ruled Britton-Harr guilty by default judgment in a DOJ lawsuit alleging Medicare fraud.
This past August, a contempt hearing that could have seen Britton-Harr sent to jail was delayed.
As of this afternoon, AeroVanti’s website was still down.
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