Tag: Kenn Ricci

A look back at who received CARES Act Payroll Support Payments

by Doug Gollan
CARES Act private aviation recipients

The Payroll Support Program under Division A, Title IV, Subtitle B of the CARES Act provided payroll support to passenger air carriers, cargo air carriers, and certain contractors for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries, and benefits. Here’s who got how much

It’s uncertain when there will be more government for the airline industry, and if so, will it extend to the private aviation side?

While the CARES Act payments have been widely credited for helping business jet operators get back on their feet quickly, they also have detractors, including NetJets, the largest private jets operator.

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Kenn Ricci’s Zanite Acquisition Corp. sets $200 million IPO

by Doug Gollan
Flexjet Sentient Jet Flex Jet

Ricci, who leads Flexjet, Sentient Jets, PrivateFly, and FXAIR parent Directional Aviation, serves as co-CEO of Zanite

Zanite Acquisition Corp. announced today that it priced its initial public offering of 20,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit, or $200 million.

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Flexjet, Sentient Jet boss sets SPAC to target $100 million + acquistions

by Doug Gollan
Flexjet

Directional Aviation’s Kenn Ricci is launching Zanite Acquisition Corporation to target next-generation aviation acquisitions

Directional Aviation, which controls OneSky Flight, the company that acquired Flexjet, Sentient Jet, and PrivateFly over the past decade, is launching a Special Purpose Acquisition Company. The story was first reported earlier today by Corporate Jet Investor.

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Flexjet, Qatar Executive will be launch customers for the Gulfstream G700

by Doug Gollan 1 Comment
Gulfstream G700

For Flexjet the order follows its $1.4 billion deal with Embraer announced earlier today; For Qatar Executive, it’s in addition to its July billion-dollar Gulfstream order

A billion dollars here.  A half-billion or so there. It is Las Vegas after all. As the National Business Aviation Association’s annual convention kicks off here, Flexjet followed up its morning announcement it is buying $1.4 billion in private jets from Embraer by placing an order to be the North American launch customer for the Gulfstream G700.

(Updated Oct. 23, 2019: Flexjet’s order is for 16 G700s valued at $1.2 billion)

Flexjet’s chairman Kenn Ricci wasn’t the only CEO playing at the high stakes table. Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, is buying 10 of the new ultra-long-range, ultra-fast private jets for his Qatar Executive charter division. It follows a billion-dollar order with the Savannah, Georgia-based manufacturer in July.

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Tuvoli promises to make life easier for private jet charter brokers…and their customers

by Doug Gollan 2 Comments

Private jet rental brokers can better serve clients by using a mobile platform the Directional Aviation company is launching next week during NBAA

Kenn Ricci’s Directional Aviation does everything from repairing (Constant Aviation) and remanufacturing private jets (Nextant Aerospace) to pilot training  (Simcom). Still, outside the industry, private aviation fliers likely most know it for its three consumer brands – Flexjet, Sentient Jet, and PrivateFly  – all housed under OneSky Flight, LLC.

Now Tuvoli, which means, “to fly” in Italian, promises to make life easier for private jet charter operators and brokers, with several key benefits flowing directly to consumers. Greg Johnson, Tuvoli’s president and chief information officer for OneSky, says his goal is to take the friction out of on-demand charter.

Making private jet charters fly

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Flexjet launches Flexjet Forum series

by Doug Gollan 1 Comment

The first forum featured President Bush in New York City last week

Directional Aviation’s Flexjet LLC, launched the Flexjet Forum last week. The event was first teased with event photographs on social media.

Designed to be a series of intimate and meaningful conversations, Flexjet Forums take place at unique venues with some of the world’s most influential people. Guest speakers are selectively chosen for their accomplishments, expertise, insights, and relevance to the interests of Flexjet owners, the company said in a press release.

The inaugural event featured President George W. Bush in Manhattan on September 25.

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