STA Jets has signed a definitive agreement to acquire International Jet, the Centennial, Colorado-based private aviation company that has served clients since 1979. The transaction continues the Californian business jet operator's push to build one of the nation's most comprehensive private aviation service networks in the market. Headquartered at John Wayne airport in Santa Ana, California, the company has operations based in Van Nuys, San Jose, New York and Fort Lauderdale.

“STA is growing with purpose and momentum,” confirms Kurt Belcher, founder of STA Jets. “Each addition makes the STA network broader, our capabilities stronger and our service better for the clients who rely on us.”

The International Jet acquisition adds a significant Rocky Mountain presence and extends STA's geographic reach, fleet capacity and service offerings. International Jet brings charter, aircraft management and aircraft sales, expanding what STA can offer clients in one network.

International Jet was founded in 1979 in Long Beach, California, and relocated to Denver the following year. In 1980 it became the first Learjet charter operator at the city's Centennial hub, and it is now the longest-tenured company at that location. Over more than four decades, the company has grown from cargo and speciality flying into a full-service passenger charter operator. It has flown more than 10,000 medical transports over a 25-year period along the way.

International Jet operates a fleet spanning turboprops, light, midsize, super-midsize and large-cabin jets, with a private passenger terminal at Centennial airport and flight coordinators on duty around the clock. Its operations are held to FAA Part 135 standards, and its maintenance programme has earned the industry's Diamond Award of Excellence.

“For 47 years, International Jet has earned the trust of its clients through safety, service and consistency,” adds Belcher. “That legacy is exactly what makes this partnership compelling. We're committed to preserving what makes International Jet exceptional while adding the scale, resources and reach of the STA network.”

Belcher purchased STA Jets in 2009, taking it from a single-aircraft charter operation at John Wayne. The company's fleet grew to more than 30 aircraft before the current round of expansion.