Flexjet has acquired Constant Aviation, a US provider of aviation MRO services. “Integrating Constant Aviation into Flexjet is part of an overriding strategic vision to differentiate Flexjet among its competitors at the most fundamental level,” says Flexjet senior VP of maintenance Jay Heublein. “Typically, other companies in our space rely largely on third-party providers to meet their global product support and maintenance needs. This not only limits their overall ability to meet the needs of their customers, but it also takes control away from operators and limits their ability to deliver the highest possible levels of service. This historic move by Flexjet represents one of the most significant infrastructure investments in the history of our industry.”

Flexjet's fleet grew by 40 per cent in 2022, bringing additional demands for maintenance services. Integrating Constant into Flexjet will address this need, adding capabilities including: complete airframe, engine and avionics maintenance capability; paint and interior modification and refurbishment capability; advanced in-house engineering and avionics installation; heavy maintenance, engine and component overhaul; damage repair, composite and sheet metal repairs and non-destructive testing; and parts support and distribution.

As part of the transaction, Flexjet will acquire Constant's facilities at Cleveland Hopkins International airport in Ohio and Orlando Sanford International airport in Florida. Flexjet plans to build new facilities at Sanford, significantly expanding its maintenance footprint in the heart of Florida's high-volume private jet travel corridors, to a total of 220,000 sq ft. Flexjet's maintenance facility footprint now covers 650,000 sq ft in Cleveland, Ohio; Teterboro, New Jersey; Naples, Florida; Dallas, Texas; White Plains, New York; Sanford, Florida; and Morgantown, West Virginia.

Flexjet also gains dedicated access to Constant's nationwide AOG mobile response network, with teams deploying from 28 US locations and the capacity to serve the entire continental US and Caribbean markets. The teams can respond to maintenance requests from aircraft at multiple airports in every region that lacks dedicated facilities.

“With Constant's unique capabilities, along with a proprietary aircraft on ground network to handle real-time aircraft issues, Flexjet is not dependent on third-party maintenance to keep its fleet flying regardless of location or conditions,” continues Heublein.

Constant Aviation recently expanded its MRO capabilities beyond its portfolio of business jets and other fixed-wing aircraft to include rotorcraft such as helicopters, drones and other commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Accordingly, it will be able to support Flexjet's new private helicopter division, which operates in the US in the northeast and south Florida and in Europe based out of London in the UK.

All of Constant's existing team members will join Flexjet and, in addition, Flexjet plans to hire nearly 200 more technicians over the next 12 months. Constant has been an MRO industry leader in workforce development and training initiatives to grow an industry-wide talent pool for technicians that has been shrinking. Those initiatives will carry over to Flexjet, which recently graduated its first class of apprenticed airframe and powerplant (A&P) technicians.