AeroVanti, Brixleyxchange tease adding a Piaggio Avanti

Despite legal woes, Patrick Britton-Harr continues to pitch an AeroVanti comeback via Brixleyxchange.

(Editor’s Note: Updated on Jan. 30, 2025 with a new DOJ filing)

Per our previous report, Brixleyxhange listed a phone number connected to a Britton-Harr family member on its website.

After our report, the phone number was removed.

In an email to former AeroVanti members dated today, Britton-Harr writes:

We have recently been presented an option to bring back a Piaggio Avanti aircraft for AeroVanti Members. 

This purchase option would enable 100% full use of your Top Gun Credit Balance towards the acquisition price and/or towards any future flight hours flown.

This specific Piaggio will be coming available Mid-February and is conformed for 135 with fresh 200hr/12 month, 5 year/60month, landing gear overhauled including mains and nose and hydraulic gear box. 

The #2 engine is zero “0” time with fresh overhaul and #1 engine has 1240 to go to before overhaul. All ADs and SBs complied with. 

Although The buyer will be able to elect to add the Piaggio on the 135 Certificate to make available for AeroVanti members and outside charters at their discretion, this is not a requirement for application of your Top Gun Balance. 

Retail Charter Price will be – $4,495 per hour 

AeroVanti Top Gun Members Price will be – $2,995 per hour. 

Full Details of the specific Piaggio and aircraft availability will be provided to interested parties. 

Please contact me directly if you would like to participate or discuss this opportunity.

According to Britton-Harr, AeroVanti relaunched late last year.

$26.3 million judgment

Last July 18, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland entered default judgments for the United States totaling $26.3 million against Patrick Britton-Harr and multiple laboratory companies he owned for violations of the False Claims Act.

The court entered these judgments after Patrick Britton-Harr and his companies failed to defend against the United States’ allegations.

The U.S. Justice Department alleged that money gained from medical fraud was used to launch AeroVanti in 2021.

After failing to pay employees and facing multiple lawsuits, it grounded its fleet in June 2023.

During its launch, AeroVanti boasted that it had secured $100 million in financing and signed sponsorships with the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Patrick Britton-Harr exited to be replaced by an outsider and then his brother Todd before returning to control.

Scott Hopes, the short-serving CEO, estimated that AeroVanti had up to $50 million in liabilities between vendors and members.

Hopes estimated that around $31 million in flight credits were owed to members.

AeroVanti restart

Since last Fall, Patrick Britton-Harr has been emailing members promising a restart, which he says took place at the end of November.

The new flights are being marketed via BrixleyXchange, which lists a Delaware corporate registry as its business address.

However, the removed contact phone number on the Brixley website was identified as belonging to Troy Britton-Harr.

During its brief time in the skies, AeroVanti attracted over 400 members, according to various filings.

Lawsuits allege members’ funds were misappropriated and disappeared.

One attorney alleged AeroVanti had “hallmarks of a Ponzi scheme.”

Update on Patrick Britton-Harr

(Editor’s note: The following was added on Jan. 30, 2025)

Per a filing by the Department of Justice on Jan. 28, 2025:

The United States has now completed its review of the limited documents produced and the interrogatory responses. The United States continues to have concerns regarding the completeness and accuracy of these discovery responses. For example, Britton-Harr claims to still not have any financial accounts in his name or under his control.

The United States believes it is implausible for Britton-Harr, who is once again the Chief Executive Officer and owner of Aerovanti, to not have any financial accounts to pay his personal bills and expenses and that he instead continues to rely entirely on others to pay for his personal expenses as he has done since approximately October 2023. The only asset worth more than $1,000 disclosed by Britton-Harr was a Rolex watch.

Nevertheless, Britton-Harr has provided at least some form of response to each of the outstanding discovery items. These responses arguably resolve the United States’ pending motion for civil contempt for failing to respond to the discovery requests. However, the United States has issued additional discovery requests to Britton-Harr pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 69 to further assess Britton-Harr’s recent responses and to identify potential assets to satisfy the judgment owed to the United States.

Should Britton-Harr fail to respond to these additional discovery requests, the United States will again be forced to seek another order to compel responses and may file another motion for civil contempt if any of his responses are incomplete or inaccurate

READ: Caveat Emptor: Avoiding private jet scams, bankruptcies, and shutdowns