Jim Rankin, who has served as CEO since 2018, has been named executive chairman of the board, Stephen Maiden has been appointed his successor as the West Star’s CEO, and Allen McReynolds, who currently serves as chief operating officer, will also take on the role of president.

“Stephen and Allen bring a unique set of skills and experiences to their leadership roles. I’m excited to support them as they build on West Star’s long-standing guiding principle of taking care of customers and employees,” said Rankin. “Stephen and Allen have a rich understanding of where the company is headed, and I look forward to achieving new milestones with them as they assume these leadership roles.”

Stephen Maiden joined the West Star team in November of 2023 when Jet East, where he served as president and CEO, was acquired by West Star Aviation. Maiden’s career in aviation maintenance began when he served in the US Air Force as an Electrical and Environmental Specialist on F-16s. Throughout his career, Maiden has served in a variety of roles with increasing responsibility from an avionics technician to team lead and manager, to director of Quality and Operations. He spent the last 18 years serving as a CEO in the area of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

Maiden said: “I am deeply honoured to have the opportunity to lead this remarkable team and express my sincere gratitude for all the hard work and dedication that has contributed to the legacy of West Star Aviation. The history of 77 years is truly special. Our people, who are the heart of our organisation, will remain our top priority as we strive to deliver exceptional experiences to our valued customers.” 

McReynolds was announced as West Star’s chief operating officer in September of 2023. As part of the recent leadership restructure, McReynolds will assume increased responsibility and oversight of all business operations in his new role of president and chief operating officer. He has spent more than two decades in and around maintenance covering business aviation, commercial airlines and defence. Prior to joining West Star, McReynolds served as a managing partner at SeaTec Consulting and has held leadership positions at firms including Textron Aviation and Hawker Beechcraft. 

“I am humbled and honoured to have the opportunity of leading West Star across multiple business lines,” McReynolds said. “The opportunity represents a professional and personal privilege to collaborate with a team of experts. I am excited about what the future holds for West Star.”

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For $131m.

It is a good deal for its owner Gama Aviation and its London Stock Exchange investors. After paying off debt, it will bank $100m. Shareholders will get some of this as a dividend.

“After interest from several parties, we are delighted to have agreed the sale of Jet East to West Star Aviation. I believe the new owner will be an excellent guardian of our valued strategic relationships and, importantly, the people that deliver critical services to our customers every day,” said Marwan Khalek, CEO of Gama Aviation.

Gama Aviation bought Jet East in January 2021. It paid $8.7m in cash and took on $3.2m of debt. It invested in the company. Jet East had sales of $118.2m in 2022 and earnings of $1.3m. Its sales in the first six months of 2023 were up 27%. In 2019 it had sales of $29.5m.

The Sterling Group, the private equity owner of West Star, approached Jet East last year. “This combination represents a truly unique opportunity to bring together two completely complementary businesses in terms of capabilities and geographic footprint,” said Jim Rankin, CEO of West Star Aviation. “Most importantly, the cultures of both organizations proudly prioritize customer service and a commitment to our people.”  

Latham & Watkins was West Star’s legal adviser with Jefferies financial adviser.

“Joining forces with West Star provides so much optimism for everyone involved. As a combined entity, we will be able to provide unparalleled service and support to our collective customer-base with greater depth in providing maintenance solutions,” said Stephen Maiden, CEO of Jet East. “The combination enhances opportunities for our talented workforce as our capabilities increase in size and scope. I am incredibly proud of our team, and the opportunity to partner with West Star is truly amazing,”

Jet East had hoped to tell staff earlier but minor delays meant it had to make the sudden announcement.  

“I would like to thank the entire Jet East team for their considerable efforts and achievements under the leadership of Stephen Maiden,” said Khalek. “We wish them continued success as they embark on their own new chapter.”

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Hamilton previously worked at Jet East as vice president of Operations and Fleet Accounts between 2017 and 2018, before moving on to Constant Aviation as regional sales manager.

Stephen Maiden, president and CEO, Jet East said Hamilton’s work experience and expertise will be “invaluable” in achieving the company’s goals. He said: “With his impressive track record, we look forward to achieving even greater success and delivering exceptional service to our valued customers.”

Hamilton said: “By implementing fresh ideas and new strategies to drive sales within the company, the sky is the limit.”

It is the second appointment in recent weeks, with the company having appointed Mark Daniels as product director for Cessna Citation jets at the start of the month.

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The new base includes 75,000sqft of hangar space, 40,000sqft of office and back shop space and additional adjacent land for future growth.

The estimated opening date of the facility is the first quarter of 2023, with plans to later construct a new paint facility at the site.

 Key aircraft that will be serviced at the facility include Cessna, Gulfstream, Bombardier and Embraer jets. Jet East estimates bringing 250 jobs to the area as a result of the new location.

“The facility at SVH offers an amazing opportunity for Jet East and allows us to expand our capacity, capabilities and reach within a key region of the US,” said Stephen Maiden, CEO and president, Jet East. “The facility is in impeccable condition. The energy for this new endeavor is high and this is truly a milestone moment for the Jet East team and the customers we serve and support.”

Gama Aviation acquired Jet East in January last year for $8m to grow its market capabilities and close to double its US maintenance business.

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There are only eighteen known 7500-cycle inspections completed to-date worldwide. This maintenance inspection is the most comprehensive inspection on the Challenger 300 airframe requiring extensive dismantling, significant NDT testing, Ground Service Equipment (GSE) tooling and expert training.

“Our expertise and execution of this inspection is unmatched in the industry,” noted Stephen Maiden, Constant Aviation President and CEO. “It is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and fanatical attention to detail that our teams deliver for our clients each and every day.”

Inspections of this magnitude are still rare in the industry. Often referred to as the “Mid-Life” inspection, The Bombardier Challenger 300 fleet, first introduced in 2004, is just beginning to reach this inspection milestone.

“As the premier provider for this inspection, we have accumulated more than 150,000 man-hours of experience,” added Maiden. “We have learned and gained efficiencies from the experience. The first delivery required more than 10,000 man-hours. Now with 15 delivered, we are truly efficient with a streamlined and repeatable system in place that optimizes all of the intricate processes.”

A total of 457 Challenger 300 aircraft were manufactured with most still in operation today.

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“In collaboration with Rockwell Collins and Bombardier, we have maintained a carefully crafted plan to advance the steps required to receive the STC on schedule,” said Mark O’Donnell, Nextant Aerospace Executive Vice President.

“We have three aircraft in-house ready for installation, plus seven more scheduled before year end. The first customer delivery is slated for early December. With more than 25 installations pre-sold, customer interest and market demand has been phenomenal for the Pro Line Fusion upgrade,” noted O’Donnell.

This certification achievement completes Phase I, Avionics Transformation, of the multiphase 604XT remanufacturing solution. The upgraded flight deck includes the touchscreen Pro Line Fusion, Synthetic Vision with Airport Dome, WAAS/LVP, and ADS-B Out with the option to include Safe Flight AutoPower, FANS-1A and Link 2000+.

Additional phases of the Challenger 604XT solution include modernized interior cabin design options and aerodynamic enhancements for improved performance.

“With Phase I avionics transformation accomplished, we are accelerating our efforts on the interior cabin redesigns to increase functionality, enrich comfort and provide more customization options for clients,” explained O’Donnell. “Clients may choose from multiple floor plan options to optimize interior space, modify cabin with composite shell integrated with LED lighting, select oversized executive tables and more.”

Nextant is also actively evaluating and finalising the performance enhancements engineered to deliver a 500 nautical mile range improvement with a service ceiling expansion to FL450.

“We are thrilled to have reached this milestone in our journey to deliver new jet features in technology and systems in the Challenger 604XT. Like the advancements in our 400XT series and G90XT, the goal to deliver remanufactured aircraft at a fraction of the cost of a new one is the cornerstone of our Nextant Family of Aircraft offering,” noted Stephen Maiden, President/CEO.

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The facility was originally acquired from StarPort eighteen months ago. The company has made investments in upgrading aspects of the facility to both increase capacity and incorporate technology advancements to optimize operating efficiencies.

“We have experienced tremendous growth in the short time Constant Aviation has integrated this facility into our network,” commented Kevin Dillon, Constant Aviation Regional Vice President. “We have been bursting at the seams with aircraft and this additional hangar space gives us the ability to serve even more customers in the region,” added Dillon.

The company plans to transition small and mid-cabin work to the new hangar to make room for the increase of larger cabin work in its existing hangar. The new hangar also provides additional prep and detail space for its growing paint services.

“We have been diligent in enhancing and expanding the capabilities offered in our Florida facility,” commented Stephen Maiden, Constant Aviation President and CEO.

“The breadth and depth of the services available now has attracted customers throughout the region that value a one-stop MRO solution for their aircraft maintenance needs,” noted Maiden.

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“Unlike the business and private jet industry, the government contract sector has a much longer and more complicated business development and Request for Proposals (RFP). It requires a deep understanding of proposal specifications, the ability to craft detailed proposal responses, and the experience to navigate the protocol and qualifications for the competitive government bidding process,” stated Stephen Maiden, Constant Aviation President and CEO. “As such, the efforts of our Government Programs Department, led by retired US Air Force Colonel Robert Leonard, are designed to tailor solutions that are best-in-class, competitively priced, and meet technically acceptable criteria to comply with the requirements of the contracts.”

This is not the first time Constant Aviation has successfully showcased its capabilities in government contract issued work. Previously, the company was a first-tier subcontractor to provide aircraft strip and paint service in support of the USAF’s Bombardier BD-700 Global Express E-11A aircraft.

These newly issued contracts position Constant Aviation as a prime contractor. Contract 6973GH-18-C-00053 entails the full strip and paint service, with a provision for over-and-above repairs as needed, to be accomplished on four of the FAA’s fleet aircraft: three Bombardier Challenger 601’s and one Bombardier Challenger 604. Contract 6973GH-18-R-00099 will be upgrading the Challenger 604 with the latest version of Rockwell Collins’ ADS-B Out system Pro Line 21.

These contracts are a testament to Constant Aviation’s well-formulated strategy of increasing market share within the U.S. Government aviation sector. “We have momentum and our recent string of wins with the USAF, USN, and FAA are proof that we offer unmatched value, experience, and quality in a very competitive market,” commented Robert Leonard, Nextant Aerospace Director of Government Services.

The two contracts have been months in the making, with the first Request for Information (RFI) documents submitted in 2017. The additional aircraft are scheduled to arrive in August and October with an anticipated 4-week completion schedule for each.

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“The addition of StarPort, located near Orlando, FL, aligns with our goal to maintain multiple, full service MRO’s in key regions across the nation. The decision provides Constant its first paint operation, an organisational focal area in 2017.”

Stephen Maiden, president and CEO of Constant Aviation said: “The addition of StarPort, located near Orlando, FL, aligns with our goal to maintain multiple, full service MRO’s in key regions across the nation. The decision provides Constant its first paint operation, an organisational focal area in 2017. With proposed plans to add a paint facility at the company’s headquarters based in Cleveland, OH, the acquisition of StarPort offers our customers an immediate solution.”

“We have always had the desire to expand into Florida, a state that houses more than 500 of our niche aircraft. As we have experienced growth over the past decade, we waited for the right opportunity to move into the Florida region. The StarPort acquisition provides us the opportunity to strengthen and expand our capabilities while we will remain focused on providing an exceptional service experience,” added Maiden.

StarPort’s portfolio includes full-service FBO, aircraft maintenance, avionics installation, interiors and custom paint capabilities.

“After a great deal of thoughtful consideration as to who we would ultimately turn stewardship of StarPort over to, we chose Constant Aviation. Constant Aviation maintains a family-centered culture, built on passion, dedication, and values. These principles, combined with the drive to deliver an unparalleled customer service experience, made this agreement the right decision for the future of StarPort,” said Jacqueline Cambata, president of StarPort, “We’re delighted to work with Constant Aviation and believe this acquisition provides a unique opportunity for our teams to continue to provide world class service to our clients.”

The acquisition is projected to close during the first quarter of 2017.

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