SpeedBird, a leading luxury private air travel provider based in Orlando, Florida, is to merge with Northern Jet Management (NJM), the Midwest-based operator.

The move increases the combined company's fleet to accelerate expansion to more destinations throughout the United States and internationally. The pending transaction, which will close in second quarter 2023, brings the combined company's revenue to more than $110 million. With this announcement, the combined company will have 209 employees, including 98 pilots, and a fleet of 37 aircraft with dedicated customer terminals in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Orlando, Florida; and Naples, Florida., and additional offices in Milwaukee and Chicago.

"Through this combination with Northern Jet, we are now positioned to become one of the top 20 private jet operators in the United States," says Chris Bull, founder and chief executive officer of SpeedBird, who serves as CEO of the combined company. "We are excited to collaborate with the teams that Northern Jet has in its Grand Rapids headquarters, as well as in Chicago, Milwaukee and Naples. Northern Jet has been a leader in private air travel for business and leisure for more than 30 years, and our collective commitment to superior client service and safety are well-matched. Its extraordinary team, aircraft fleet and facilities are significant milestones forward for us and will continue to elevate our clients' experience."

"It was important for us to find a company that shared the same values and commitment to putting our clients first and providing sophisticated and safe service to airports throughout the country and abroad," adds Chuck Cox, who has led Northern Jet Management since 1995 and becomes chairman and a shareholder of the combined company. "We found our cultural match in SpeedBird, and we are now collectively positioned to serve our mutual clients with even more opportunities for business and leisure travel."

With access to 37 aircraft, including Cessna Citation CJ3s, Learjet 40/45/70/75s, Citation Xs, Challenger 300/350s and Challenger 605s, and a total team of 209 employees, including 98 pilots, the combined company will continue to provide luxury private air travel for clients, all while being an award-winning leader in the industry. The Orlando Business Journal named SpeedBird among its Best Places to Work in 2021. Northern Jet is regularly recognised for its best-in-safety performance rankings from organisations such as the National Business Aviation Association, Air Charter Safety Foundation and ARGUS International, and in 2020 it was named among "Michigan's 50 Companies to Watch" by the Grand Rapids Business Journal.

The combined company now has 30,000 square feet of hangar space in Grand Rapids, 24,500 square feet in Naples and 32,500 square feet in Orlando. Logging more than 20,000 flight hours annually, it is one of the busiest private aviation companies in the United States.

"Among post-pandemic developments is the vibrant economic outlook for companies like SpeedBird and Northern Jet, whose innovative approach to private air travel reflects what we see as an immense opportunity for long-term growth in key markets," says Josh Ollek, managing director, aerospace at global investment banking boutique William Blair, which facilitated the merger.