Part 135 charter operator BellAir has officially rebranded as Jet Excellence following its recent acquisition of Red Wing Aeroplane (d/b/a as Red Wing and Red Wing Aviation) from Vista Global. The acquisition will bring 19 Citation X aircraft into the Jet Excellence fleet, positioning the company as one of the largest operators of the Citation X in the world.

“By acquiring Red Wing and expanding our Citation X fleet, we’re bringing speed, scale and reliability together under one brand,” says CEO, founder and chairman McQueen Campbell. “We are now positioned to deliver a best-in-class wholesale charter experience with a singular operational standard. Jet Excellence represents the culmination of years of growth and a bold vision for the future.”

This integration unites aircraft management, wholesale charter and shared services under one operating standard, creating a faster, more scalable network. Jet Excellence has significantly expanded national reach and operating depth, while establishing a stronger balance of owned, leased and managed lift. The result is a more agile and resilient platform to meet an increase in market demand.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global business jet market is anticipated to grow from $48.13 billion in 2025 to $67.68 billion by 2032, with North America dominating the market with a market share of 44.74 per cent in 2024.

In 2024, following two years of double-digit fleet growth, BellAir started streamlining the fleet to focus on Citation Xs. “We could see the growing enthusiasm for Citation X, a versatile, super-mid-size jet that is ideal for both business and leisure travel,” notes Campbell. At the same time, the company invested in purpose-built facilities at Raleigh Executive Jetport (TTA) in North Carolina and expanded its maintenance capabilities, ensuring in-house reliability and 24/7 operational control.

Also in 2024, Campbell recruited Michael Vargo, a 23 year veteran in private aviation with extensive experience operating Citation Xs, to join him at BellAir. With the formation of Jet Excellence, Vargo has been promoted to chief operating officer where he will drive operational excellence at both BellAir and Red Wing operations.

“With Michael, one of the most respected and well-regarded executives in private aviation today helming operations, I will be able to focus on strategy, growth and the financial aspects of the business,” says Campbell.

“I’m excited to drive operational excellence across all teams,” adds Vargo. “We are scaling for high-performance flight operations centred around safety, reliability and availability. The addition of Citation Xs to the Jet Excellence portfolio enables us to focus on a single-type, super-mid programme and unlock multiple value streams.”

Before joining Jet Excellence, Vargo served in senior operating leadership at Wheels Up, where he oversaw one of the industry’s largest flight organisations and helped standardise systems and processes across a more than 200 aircraft fleet with over 1,000 pilots. Earlier, Vargo led Mountain Aviation through a period of rapid expansion, building the world’s largest Citation X fleet. He has held leadership roles across every facet of a Part 135 operation and is an Airline Transport Pilot with in excess of 8,500 flight hours and five type ratings, including the Citation X.

Zach Palmer joined the Jet Excellence team last month as vice president of commercial strategy. He came from a five year stint at Wheels Up, where he ran outside charter sales and helped rebuild the wholesale channel into a demand engine, ultimately contributing over 25,000 incremental flight hours and more than $200 million in cumulative revenue. A 10 year veteran in private aviation, Palmer also served in a leadership capacity at Travel Management Company after beginning his aviation career at Jets.com.

“Zach has one of the best minds in the industry,” says Campbell. “He is building the pricing architecture, revenue plan and cross-functional, go-to-market engine behind our fast-scaling, national fleet. Zach will put the right aircraft in the right place at the right time, driving high-yield flying and durable unit economics.”

“I'm thrilled to join the Jet Excellence team and be part of its vision for the future of private aviation,” notes Palmer. “We are building a best-in-class commercial framework based on data-driven pricing and schedule efficiency.”

The company plans further fleet upgrades over the next 12 to 24 months.