JetDirect Acquiring Sunset Aviation & Sentient Jet Deal

By Karen Di Piazza

On March 20, Scott Pritchard, VP of sales, marketing and service for Sunset Aviation Inc., told CharterX, "We're thrilled about JetDirect acquiring our company." Last month, Jet Direct Aviation, LLC, headquartered in Berwyn, Pa., acquired charter operator Presidential Aviation, located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. With JetDirect's move to acquire Norwell, Mass.-based air charter broker Sentient Jet Inc., inclusive of its charter subsidiary Atlantic Aviation Flight Services, will everyone get along?

"This speaks to the growth of our industry; every JetDirect-owned company has a strong client base," Pritchard said. "It's a wining combination for customers because resources available can't be matched. JetDirect has the wherewithal to do it right; I don't see any negative consequences--it's all positive."

FAR Part 135 operator Sunset Aviation, with its corporate office located in Petaluma, Calif., has a total of 20 aircraft available for charter. "Aircraft are a combination of turbine and turboprops, which are based at four airports in California and one in Utah," Pritchard said. Finalization of the acquisition might happen within the next 30 days, but with all the paperwork, you never know. Sunset Aviation president and CEO Dan Drohan, who founded the company 1992, was not available for comment, as he was traveling. 

With the Feb. 12 acquisition of Presidential Aviation and the finalization of Sunset Aviation, excluding negotiations with Sentient Jet, JetDirect's fleet will top 100 aircraft. "I also think it's likely that we'll manage some very light jets in the future," Pritchard said. "I'm not sure exactly what VLJ models that will consist of, but we've had calls from position holders on several types." 

On Sept. 14, 2006, David MacDonald, former president and CEO of Regal Aviation Inc., now director of flight operations of JetDirect, told CharterX after JetDirect acquired his company, "We're now a force to be reckoned with--on a national scale."

One thing is for sure: if the Sentient Jet deal comes to fruition, JetDirect's empire will have a major impact on the aviation industry. Working with the FAA, JetDirect plans to combine all the air carrier certificates under its name, but that's going to take some time.

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