Clay Lacy managed aircraft will move to Solairus Aviation in a transition that begins today and runs through November.
Solairus Aviation closed its acquisition of Clay Lacy’s aircraft management and charter business this morning, per an internal email.
The deal was expected to close by the end of September.
Solairus ranks as the 7th-largest U.S. operator by charter and fractional flight hours, while Clay Lacy ranks 17th.
However, Solairus founder and CEO Dan Drohan notes that when including flight hours from its Part 91 aircraft, the company recorded 85,067 hours in 2025.
That would rank it fourth, behind only NetJets, Flexjet, and Vista Global, according to ARGUS data.
The companies announced the combination in early August.
In a memo, Drohan told employees, “I cannot emphasize enough that there is still much work to do.”
It said sealing the deal marks a “new and important moment for Solairus and for our small part of the broader aviation industry.”
He praised teams on both sides, saying they had “done an incredible amount of work to bring us here.”
Drohan wrote, “I am deeply proud to be a small part of this journey, and grateful for the people around me who have worked so hard to make it happen while simultaneously ‘doing their day jobs.’ Like ducks gliding across the surface, paddling furiously beneath!”
The transition has two tranches.
The first is today, and the second begins November 1.
Drohan says, “Today’s closing is a major step in a longer integration, and November 1 will be our next important milestone.”
Drohan also wrote:
‘The more than 135 consent assignments we have received from Clay Lacy (aircraft management) clients are a remarkable testament to the relationships those clients built with Clay Lacy and its team and to their confidence in and endorsement of the road ahead. We are also delighted to welcome talented colleagues whose experience and commitment will make our team stronger.’
He noted, “This is a business of spinning plates, and from time to time, one will hit the floor. When that happens, we will work together as one team to understand why, pick up the broken pieces, and get another plate spinning.”
Solairus will have around 200 aircraft on its Part 135 charter certificate and 500 aircraft overall under management.
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