Jet Linx, the leading private jet management and jet card membership company in the United States, continued its strategic expansion in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut tri-state region by acquiring Meridian’s Aircraft Management and Air Charter business. Meridian is a full-service private aviation company headquartered at Teterboro Airport. While the terms of the transaction were not disclosed, the acquisition encompasses a fleet of 23 long range and short range private jet aircraft including Bombardier Global Express 6000 and 5000s, Gulfstream G550s, GVs, G450s, GIVSPs, Dassault Falcon 7Xs and 2000s, and Embraer Phenom 300s, among others. Upon closing the transaction, Jet Linx will become the largest private jet management and jet card membership company in the tri-state region and the second-largest aircraft management company in the United States with over 120 aircraft and 19 locations nationwide (FAA Part 135).
“This acquisition is a significant step in our strategic plan as we continue to enhance our fleet and flight operations serving the New York tri-state area and further develop the Company as the leader in private jet travel. It could also not be better timed as it follows the grand opening of our flagship private terminal at Teterboro Airport last September,” said Jamie Walker, President & CEO of Jet Linx Aviation. “It is an honor to have purchased Meridian Aircraft Management and Air Charter, one of the most admired, respected and trusted operators in the private jet industry. Like Jet Linx, Meridian is a family-owned business, and it will be our commitment and our privilege to continue their legacy of excellence, safety and service. This exemplifies and underscores our unwavering commitment to provide the highest standards of excellence and the finest service experience not only to our clients in the New York tri-state area, but nationwide, as Teterboro is the busiest private aviation airport in the U.S.”
With heritage that dates back to 1946 at Teterboro Airport, Meridian is a full-service Fixed Base Operator (FBO) renowned for its enduring reputation for providing the New York metropolitan area with private aircraft fueling, hangaring, maintenance, management and charter services. Meridian has earned numerous industry awards and accolades over the years for its FBO services. As the longest continuously operating private aviation services company in the New York metropolitan area, Meridian will continue operating its FBO and aircraft maintenance businesses at Teterboro Airport and Hayward Executive Airport in California.
“Jet Linx aligns perfectly with Meridian’s values, culture and commitment to safety, and we could not be happier to have partnered with Jet Linx to purchase our aircraft management and charter business,” said Ken Forester, Owner & CEO of Meridian. “It was important for us to find the right company who would be able to take our existing aircraft management and charter business to the next level, and Jet Linx was the obvious choice. We are excited to continue supporting Jet Linx, and our former aircraft management and charter customers, through our FBO and aircraft maintenance businesses going forward.”
Jet Linx has become the leading private jet management and Jet Card company in the United States due to its unique and innovative business model. The company offers a far more personalized approach to guaranteed private jet travel solutions through individual, city specific, local operations. Jet Linx is committed to the highest and most stringent safety standards in the private aviation industry, and to the managed, strategic and sustained growth in private jet aircraft, jet card members and locations across the country.
2019 was a year of unprecedented achievement for Jet Linx; it established six new private base terminal locations across the country, and forged two groundbreaking and unprecedented partnerships – one with Forbes Travel Guide and the other with Southwest Airlines and CAE. The collaboration with Forbes Travel Guide – the world renowned and only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants and spas – made Jet Linx the “Official Private Aviation Company” of Forbes Travel Guide as well as the first and only company in private aviation to establish and implement Forbes Travel Guide’s preeminent and unparalleled standards of service excellence. Jet Linx also collaborated with Forbes Travel Guide in the creation of customized, proprietary Jet Linx standards of service excellence for private aviation. Jet Linx joined forces with Southwest Airlines and CAE to create a groundbreaking pilot cadet program which provides a unique career pathway and lifecycle solution for pilots, facilitating entry into the aviation industry and providing opportunities for pilots to elevate and extend their careers. The company also acquired Elliott Aviation’s Aircraft Management & Charter business in Minneapolis, and following the purchase of Meridian Aircraft Management and Air Charter, the Company intends to make additional acquisitions of other respected and established private jet management companies as an integral part of its growth strategy and continued expansion across the United States.
Category: Aircraft Management
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company, is proud to announce that it has been accepted as a verified Products and Services member of the International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA), the only aviation organization that accredits aircraft dealers. Aviation Product and Service providers are thoroughly vetted before acceptance to assure the highest ethical standards and levels of experience.
IADA specialists offer buyers and sellers of preowned aircraft the best advice available to make the most appropriate deals. IADA’s Products and Services members have been verified by the organization to assist in aircraft transactions. In addition, more than 40 IADA-accredited dealers specialize in representing buyers and sellers.
Products and Services members are those companies whose primary focus is related to the support of an aircraft transaction, whether their expertise is finance, legal, tax, escrow, or maintenance. The membership application process for Products and Services membership is rigorous. It begins with an applicant completing the standard application. As part of the application process, the candidate will contact three IADA members to ask for their support as a sponsor. The IADA membership votes on new Products & Services applicants twice a year.
Patti Ann Sullivan, Meridian’s VP of Aircraft Management, quickly welcomed the news. “IADA is a premier organization for aviation companies. We are both excited and honored to be part of this prestigious group. Aircraft Management is one of our core business offerings, so it’s a natural fit for us. We look forward to contributing our expertise and resources to help expand the mission of the organization, as well as to support fellow member companies.”
“As the world’s only accredited aircraft dealer organization, we are pleased to have Meridian as a new Products and Services member,” said IADA Executive Director Wayne Starling. “Meridian strengthens our organization during a pivotal economic time when buyers and sellers of aircraft are navigating a rapidly changing economic environment.”
Meridian is pleased to announce that Emil Iannone has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Meridian Air Charter. He will be responsible for managing and streamlining the charter business, including charter operations, charter sales, aircraft management and marketing. Mr. Iannone has served as Director of Operations since 2013, when he returned to Meridian after 13 years in the financial industry. Mr. Iannone is based at the company’s headquarters at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, NJ.
The organizational restructuring comes as part of the company’s overall growth strategy, and is designed to allow Dennis O’Connell, President of Meridian Air Charter, more time to focus on other critical aspects of the charter business. These include owner relations, aircraft maintenance, and accounting. Together, Mr. O’Connell and Mr. Iannone will be responsible for the strategic direction of the charter organization.
“I am very excited for this opportunity,” says Iannone. “I’m honored to be working side-by-side with Dennis to help ensure our charter operations meet the needs of a rapidly changing marketplace and continuing to grow our charter and aircraft management operations. I look forward to contributing to Meridian’s ongoing success.”
Mr. Iannone started flying in the mid-1980s at Teterboro Airport before attending American Flyers Academy. After graduating and earning his CFI, he returned to Meridian as an instructor pilot, moving up the ranks to Chief Pilot. In 1994, he was promoted to Director of Operations, overseeing the daily operations of Million Air Charter, when the company was part of the franchise. Iannone also spent some time during his early career flying for a private flight department. He is type rated in Gulfstream, Learjet and Cessna Citation aircraft.
In 2000, Mr. Iannone was offered the opportunity to take his talents and expertise to a New York City investment banking firm. As Senior Vice President, he oversaw the daily operations of several key areas of the company, including security, purchasing, and ground transportation. His managerial skills translated well from aviation to this environment and he spent a successful tenure there. In 2013, the allure of aviation brought him back to Meridian, when he rejoined the company as Director of Operations.
“We are very pleased to have Emil managing the day-to-day operations of Meridian Air Charter,” adds Ken Forester, CEO. “He has the operational experience and people skills to help navigate the challenges of the ever-changing charter landscape. Having operations, sales and marketing under his leadership will help us to compete more effectively in today’s marketplace. Emil’s new position will also allow Dennis greater bandwidth to focus on the other key areas of the operation. Together, they will be a powerful team in moving the business forward.”
On Friday, July 12, Meridian hosted a cookout in appreciation of all of its employees. The barbecue was held in three shifts so that everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the food and festivities.
The barbecue featured all the traditional fare: burgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, as well as potato salad, chips and other side dishes. Meridian CEO Ken Forester was present for every shift to ensure that he could personally thank everyone for their hard work. The company went as far as having two cakes so that each shift had the chance to enjoy a slice.
With almost 200 attendees, the day was a tremendous success. “It’s a great opportunity for everyone to take some time to relax and enjoy the day with their coworkers,” said Steve Chandoha, President of Meridian Teterboro. “This event gets better with every year, and we look forward to hosting it again next year.”
Pictured left to right are Nehemias Camacho, Herb Knight, and Bob Platten.
Meridian was proud to sponsor FlightSafety’s 22nd Annual Customer Appreciation Golf Tournament held on Monday, June 24, 2019. The company sent a team of people to meet and greet golfers at the sponsored hole, as well as a foursome to play in the tournament. Meridian sponsored the ‘Closest to the Pin’ contest hole on the Meadows course, which was hosted by two representatives of the company, Francisco Cabrera from Owner Services and Matthew Barclay from Marketing.
Francisco and Matthew welcomed golfers throughout the day, offering them water bottles, power bars, sunscreen, and Meridian golf balls. The Meridian foursome included Bob Platten, Nehemias Camacho, and our guest, Herb Knight. (The fourth golfer, Chris Battaglia, was recruited to play on another team at the last minute.) This year, Meridian took first place, scoring a 60 in the scramble format. The Meridian team finished 4 strokes better than last year.
Overall, there were 154 golfers and over 220 total attendees that participated in the annual tournament. In addition to a fun day on the links, there was also a charitable component – FlightSafety raised over $1,000 for Corporate Angel Network. Corporate Angel Network is the only charitable organization in the United States whose sole mission is to help cancer patients access the best possible treatment for their specific type of cancer by arranging free travel to treatment across the country using empty seats on corporate jets.
Michele Posey, Director of Sales and organizer of the event, had this to say, “The annual FlightSafety Golf Tournament is a fun way for us to thank our valued customers each year by providing a relaxing day on the golf course followed by a dinner with awards and prizes. We also want to thank our sponsors, like Meridian, for their generosity and support. Now that the 2019 tournament is behind us, we’re already planning for next year.”
On Wednesday, April 3, Meridian welcomed local representatives from all walks of business aviation to hold a roundtable discussion on the current state of the industry, and speculate on where it’s headed in the future.
The first topic was the “State of the Charter Industry” and the rising popularity of the ultra-long range jet. The attendees surmised that this is due to either business taking people further than before, or that larger jets are chosen to accommodate more passengers at once.
The industry’s efforts in recruiting young talent are beginning to bear signs of success. More and more young pilots and engineers are lining up to begin their careers in Business Aviation. The challenge we face now is getting them qualified to fly.
One issue that NATA Vice President, Ryan Waguespack, brought up was the increasing popularity of “Gray Charter” and the safety issues that accompany it. NATA has been working to advise and inform the FAA on what “Gray Charter” is, and what to look for to uncover it.
Finally, to wrap the meeting up, representatives discussed what they’ve been doing to reach out to the youth and get them interested in the industry. From career days to 5Ks, there were plenty of different community engagement methods being utilized.
Overall, the event was a tremendous success and all that attended left with a better picture of the industry, and a greater understanding of its future. We cannot wait to see what the next meeting holds in store for us.
On Wednesday, March 27, Meridian celebrated the storied and accomplished career of Joe Corrado, the Crew Chief and Base Manager of N601AD, a 1994 Bombardier Challenger 601. This aircraft has the distinct honor of being Meridian Air Charter’s most frequently chartered aircraft. Here are some of the record-breaking statistics:
- Aircraft Type: Challenger 601 (S/N 5186)
- Tenure with Meridian: March 2009 – March 2019
- Hours Flown: 6,375
- Flight Legs: 3,599
- Passengers Carried: 12,762
- Miles Flown: 2,950,975
Joe started his career with Meridian in March 2009 and has played a major role in the upkeep and maintenance of this aircraft. His efforts and long hours allowed this Challenger 601 to fly for 6,375 hours, carrying 12,762 passengers for almost 3,000,000 miles! Meridian celebrated at a local restaurant and had a few parting gifts for Joe, including a plaque with the milestones, and a framed picture of the aircraft. We thank him for his many years of exceptional devotion and expertise and wish him well in his retirement.
On Tuesday, March 19, Meridian hosted students from the North Bergen High School STEM Academy, a preparatory school for students pursuing careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.
Students learned about the many facets of business aviation and FBO operations, and the various factors involved to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Many students were surprised to learn how much was involved in business aviation. Our VP of Jet Maintenance, John Langshultz, gave an overview of jet maintenance and spoke about how diverse our jet mechanics’ skillset must be in order to keep a jet flying.
The students were also given a tour of our Teterboro FBO and met with our CEO, Ken Forester. The Academy told us that they thought very highly of the tour and felt the trip to Teterboro was among their most exciting. We hope that we’ve sparked an interest in the Business Aviation industry, and hope to see them again in the future!
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company, is pleased to announce the opening of a new, state-of-the-art hangar at its New Jersey-based headquarters in Teterboro Airport. Construction on ‘Hangar 12’, as it is commonly known, is now complete and the structure is fully operational.
The new building replaces the original Hangar 12, which was demolished in the summer of 2016. This modern facility includes a 40,000 sq. ft. hangar and a two-story support building, effectively doubling the size of the previous facility. The first floor includes tenant office space as well as a comfortable customer reception area. The second floor is primarily reserved for charter support, including maintenance, quality assurance, and in-flight services. The hangar will serve as a maintenance facility, as well as provide parking accommodations for both managed and transient aircraft.
“The new Hangar 12 enhances Meridian’s footprint at TEB and gives us more space and flexibility for maintenance and allows us to hangar additional aircraft,” said Steve Chandoha, President of Meridian Teterboro. “As we continue to grow and as traffic increases in the busy Northeast corridor, this expansion will help us continue to serve our customers and meet their needs.”
In addition to Hangar 12, Meridian’s complex at Teterboro includes its headquarters facility, which features a 40,000 sq. ft. hangar and a 30,000 sq. ft. Executive Terminal, and another 22,000 sq. ft. hangar with additional office and support space at the south end of the airport.
The new Hangar 12 is designed to handle a variety of large-cabin aircraft, including the Gulfstream G650 and Global 6000. The facility features larger hangar doors for easy access and other features that will enhance service and support capabilities for Meridian customers.
Meridian is pleased to announce the addition of a Gulfstream G450 (N973MC) business jet to its ever-growing managed fleet. This aircraft is based in Teterboro, NJ, and conveniently serves its New York City-area customers. This long-range jet was manufactured in 2009 and is impeccably maintained both inside and out. The aircraft is now available for charter (Certificate IMJA053F).
The spacious cabin can accommodate up to 14 passengers and can fly a maximum distance of 4,350 nm/8,056 km at Mach 0.80 with eight passengers and three crew. This aircraft is well-appointed with a range of amenities including complimentary domestic Wi-Fi, DirectTV® Satellite Television, inflight satellite phone system, Airshow® moving map display, entertainment system with dual DVD/CD player, and berthable seats that will accommodate up to six passengers. A full galley with sink, microwave and convection ovens, dual coffee maker, aft private lavatory with sink, and forward crew lavatory, make this aircraft an attractive option for international trips.
“We are extremely pleased to offer our customers in the New York metro area another great option for long haul trips,” said Chris Battaglia, Director of Charter Sales. “This G450 is equipped with the latest technologies and amenities, ensuring a productive and comfortable flight. It is the perfect complement to our fleet of heavy jets.”
The Gulfstream G450 model incorporates the technological advances of the Gulfstream G550, including the integrated PlaneView cockpit and a redesigned wing to reduce drag. The aircraft also allows for greater fuel capacity, making it ideal for lengthy trips. The Gulfstream G450 was the first business jet to cross Atlantic Ocean using biofuels.
Meridian currently manages a wide range of aircraft types that are available for private charter. Our diverse fleet includes the Global 5000, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream 450, Gulfstream GIV-SP, Falcon 7X, Falcon 900EX EASy, Falcon 2000EX EASy, Falcon 2000, Challenger 605, Challenger 604, Challenger 601, Gulfstream G200, and Hawker 900XP. In addition, other aircraft types are available through Meridian’s extensive network of qualified operators.
