Founder and principal of Directional Aviation Capital and chairman of Flexjet Kenn Ricci has presented Steve Varsano, entrepreneur and founder of the world's first corporate aviation showroom The Jet Business, with the Living Legends of Aviation Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award at the fourth annual European awards ceremony.

Rooted in the longstanding expertise and innovation that Ricci and Flexjet fostered in the fractional jet industry over several decades, the award honours the visionaries and brilliant minds that leave a similarly lasting mark on the world of aviation. The Living Legends of Aviation are a group of remarkable people with extraordinary accomplishments in aviation including entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, astronauts, record breakers, pilots who have become celebrities and celebrities who have become pilots.

“It's been an honour to witness Steve's storied career in aviation not only as a peer, but as a friend,” says Ricci, himself a legendary aviation entrepreneur and Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award honouree. “His journey is a testament to the power of following one's passion, something I believe in wholeheartedly. His visionary approach and unwavering commitment have transformed the aviation industry, and I am proud to present him with the Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award.”

The awards originated in the US in 2003, commemorating accomplishments in aviation and aerospace. Today, the Living Legends of Aviation include more than 125 honourees who meet yearly to recognise individuals that have made significant contributions in aviation. In addition to Ricci, the elite group of aviators includes such marquee names as Buzz Aldrin, Tom Cruise, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Jeff Bezos, pilot Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger, Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher, Federal Express founder Fred Smith and Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson among others.

This year's celebration took place at Scalaria resort on the shores of the Wolfgangsee outside Salzburg in Austria.

Throughout his career, Varsano has influenced the aviation industry through his passion and innovative approach. Born in New York City, Varsano's fascination with aviation began at 14 after a flying lesson in a Cessna. Determined to pursue this passion, he worked in restaurants to fund his flying lessons, soloing at 16 and earning his pilot's licence at 17. Varsano founded The Jet Business in 2011 in London's Knightsbridge district and is known for the world's first street-level corporate aircraft showroom, which features a full-size mockup of an Airbus ACJ319 interior with bespoke leather seats and a moving cloudscape to simulate the feeling of flight.

Understanding the impact of social media, Varsano set out to educate the public about the previously mysterious world of private aviation, achieving an astounding billion views across platforms including Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. His efforts have demystified the industry, attracted a broader audience and introduced hundreds of millions of young people to aviation. Varsano has served on the board of directors of a private jet membership business, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic and is on the board of trustees of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Varsano also spearheads education and career opportunities for underprivileged youth in the aviation industry, charting paths that were not previously accessible.

Varsano joins Ricci and several other stalwart industry leaders as winners of the Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Solairus founder and CEO Dan Drohan and most recently HEICO Corp CEO Larry Mendelson, who was presented with the award earlier this year.