The move will see Stevens acquire Mayo Aviation’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations at Centennial Airport (KAPA). Mayo serves as the Rocky Mountain West base of the George J. Priester Aviation family of companies.

Mayo Aviation president Brent Moldowan said: “This allows us to better focus on our aircraft owners and charter services while offering a national MRO partnership to our customers, giving them more options, capabilities and expertise. Stevens offers a robust maintenance provider plan nationwide for our owners, with a proven track record.”

The new alliance offers all Priester customers more access to MRO capabilities for all types of aircraft, especially Mayo Aviation’s 45-year relationship with Colorado Flight for Life and its fleet of King Air aircraft.

The move will also allow Mayo customers to leverage the expertise and scale of Stevens’ operations, including preferential scheduling. Similar to George J. Priester companies, the Centennial Airport base will be Stevens’ farthest west.

“Stevens’ legacy as a privately owned aviation company aligns with the values of all of our companies,” Moldowan said. “They understand that aviation is a service business and share the same focus on customers. Partnering with such an established, similar-minded company allows Mayo to best serve our owners’ needs and benefit charter clients.”

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The companies include Priester Aviation as its Midwest base, Mayo Aviation as its Rocky Mountain West base, and Hill Private Aviation, its Southeast base. George J. Priester Aviation will serve as the parent company for future business and expansion initiatives while the three companies will retain their individual names for customer services and signage.

“For years, we’ve worked to uphold and build upon the legacy that my grandfather created and my father expanded,” said Andy Priester, chairman and CEO, George J. Priester Aviation. “It matters to us that the branding and story behind our parent company unites our businesses while honoring the pillars on which all companies were founded.”

The brand includes a stylised icon representing 1944 Beechcraft Staggerwing, bought by George in 1953 after purchasing Palwaukee Airport, now Chicago Executive Airport.

“It’s critically important that the family of companies maintains what makes them special: building relationships,” Priester said. “It’s why the Mayo family has connected with customers in the Rocky Mountain region and why Guy Hill Sr. and Jr. have been an aviation mainstay in Atlanta. Being part of a larger George J. Priester Aviation organization allows people to immediately see the connection to a group with the nationwide resources and capabilities to serve their aviation needs anywhere.”

George J. Priester Aviation company manages more than 80 aircraft among its companies and operates charter service globally through its bases and partnerships.

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The deal will allow all three companies to grow opportunities together and improve services to clients, said Andy Priester, chairman and CEO, Priester Aviation. “Now Hill, along with Priester and Mayo, can grow with added infrastructure and support, while still honoring and respecting what has already been built over the last six decades,” said Priester. “Hill’s culture and people have been central to its success. We’re excited to engage Guy [Hill Jr] and his team as part of the larger Priester family as we thrive together.”

Hill Aviation’s private jet charter and management services will be branded as Hill Private Aviation. Hill will also continue to operate an FBO, which is not part of the deal, at Atlanta Fulton County Executive Airport, Georgia.

The acquisition continues Priester’s strategy of developing customer-focused, family-led companies that started with acquisition of Mayo Aviation last year. “Independent, family-run aviation companies keep their focus on empowering aircraft owners and charter customers, rather than shareholders or impersonal conglomerates,” said Priester, pictured above.

“Just like our clients know that I’m ultimately the person they can talk to and answer any concerns, Guy Hill has led the way in Atlanta and he’ll still be doing that,” he added. “When you’re able to connect directly with the person whose name is on the door, that’s significant.”

Hill Private Aviation management customers will benefit from fuel and insurance savings, as well as crew scheduling and training and maintenance oversight, said the company. Priester, Mayo, and Hill Private Aviation clients also benefit from the independently operated FBO at Fulton County airport.

Meanwhile, Hill Aircraft has formed a partnership with Stevens Aerospace for the delivery of parts services. The Stevens Aerospace MRO operated from three locations at Greenville, South Carolina, Dayton, Oho, Nashville, Tennessee and now at Hill Aircraft in Atlanta. Christian Sasfai, president, Stevens Aerospace said: “We are excited to expand our footprint into the Atlanta area with a fixed location. Our mobile service unit has been serving Atlanta but with the addition of this hangar space, we can expand our passionate people delivering exceptional service.”

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But the acquisition of Mayo Aviation by Priester Aviation, announced this week, stands out. Even though the two companies are strikingly similar.

Andy Priester, chair and CEO is the third generation to run Priester Aviation since it launched in 1945. It manages 57 aircraft.

Mayo Aviation, which operates and maintains 17 aircraft, was founded in Colorado in 1978 by CEO Bill Mayo’s parents. 

With so much in common, it is not surprising that Bill and Andy have been friends for more than 20 years. During breakfast at the Air Charter Safety Foundation conference in April, Andy asked Bill to call him if he was ever interested in selling. To his surprise, Bill said they should talk. 

“This is a deal born out of friendship. Our two companies are cut from the same cloth. This is a very different to most acquisitions,” says Priester. “We recognise that we have two very talented teams and two businesses built on relationships. Customers have trusted Bill and his team for decades, in the same way our customers trust Priester.”

The two companies will be run separately and meet regularly to discuss common problems and share ideas and best practices. Bill says integrating operating software would be a good example, where the two companies could share resources.

“There will be situations where we can use the two businesses to address the needs of customers – Priester management customers may want to use Mayo’s Part 145 Repair Station, for example,” says Andy.

He says one way they will judge the success of the acquisition is retaining customers. “This week, Bill and I met with every one of Bill’s customers and I said we are going to lean into everything that Bill and his family have done for the last 40 years,” he says. 

Mayo’s longest running customer is Flight For Life Colorado – which has been with the company for 43 years.

Andy says Priester may look at other similar acquisitions in a few years’ time. “There are quite a few operators that were launched in the 1980s and 1990s where kids do not want to take over and selling to private equity does not feel right,” says Andy. “In a couple of years, we may be interested in partnering up with the same foundation of taking care of their people and having similar family values.” This could include international management companies. 

Bill says that Mayo had received numerous offers – especially in the past few years. “I care too much about our team, family and customers to sell to anyone,” he says. “When I visited Priester and walked through the front door of Andy’s business it felt just like I walked through the front door of my shop. There is something different about businesses with the founder’s name on the door.”

The deal is expected to close in the next month. Bill is planning to stay beyond that. He adds: “I have agreed to stay until Andy tells me to leave.”

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The Chicago-headquartered Priester and Colorado-based Mayo will continue to have separate brands while sharing resources to be more efficient without reducing staff from either firm. Both firms have been family owned for generations.

“For other companies, success comes from collecting assets and focusing on the bottom line,” said Andy Priester, CEO and chairman, Priester Aviation (pictured). “For us, success is found in the service we provide and the relationships we build. This is an opportunity to blend two incredible, talented teams who are focused on building and enhancing relationships.”

The CEO said that the acquisition will allow Priester to do more for its clients and from that “success in the marketplace will follow”.

Bill Mayo, CEO, Mayo Aviation said the focus on the partnership is to build upon the relationships already established by both firms. He will continue to be “an integral part” of Mayo and continue in a leadership role after the acquisition.

He continued: “In Priester, we see a company that focuses on the same elements we do. Our parents and families understood that this is a customer-based business. The legacy that they built is on display every day in every interaction.” Mayo added: “We are proud to enter into a partnership that will grow that.”

The combined fleets of the companies will increase the nation-wide scale of Priester’s charter offerings. Over the next months, the companies will share best practices and plan how best serve their shared clients.

The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, is expected to be completed over the new few months.  

In July, Priester announced it was relaunching its Centerline Jet Card in response to market demand, having previously entered five new aircraft into charter service from its managed fleet.

Acquisition players – at a glance:

Priester Aviation:

• Founded in 1945.
• Family-owned for three generations.
• Fleet of 19 aircraft (AMSTAT) including Beechcraft Hawker 4000, Bombardier Challenger 300, Bombardier Global 6000, Cessna Citation XLS+ and Gulfstream G550.

Mayo Aviation:

• Founded in 1978.
• Family-owned for two generations.
• Fleet of 13 aircraft (AMSTAT) including Beechcraft Hawker 800XP, Beechcraft King Air 200, Bombardier Challenger 300, Cessna Citation CJ3 and Gulfstream G450.

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Brian Cox, President of Tamarack Aerospace, said: “We are excited to be partnered with Mayo Aviation for the Active Winglet CitationJet upgrades, plus the other products that we will be launching in the future. Mayo has a great reputation as a maintainer and manages a significant number of aircraft. It is a great opportunity for CitationJet operators to see for themselves what other owners and pilots are experiencing with Active Winglets.”

David Lohmeyer, President of Mayo Aviation, added: “Mayo Aviation has seen several aircraft come through our facility with Tamarack’s Active Winglet upgrade and we have consistently been impressed by the quality of the product, the improved aircraft performance and the ramp presence of those aircraft. With our main facility based near Denver, you can imagine that the improved climb gradients and superior hot/high performance of Active Winglet CJs is also something we particularly appreciate.”

Tamarack Active Winglets are the only aerodynamic technology on the market today that can reduce time to climb and fuel burn, while increasing range and aircraft stability, without any structural reinforcement, yielding significant time and cost savings. Tamarack Active Winglets are approved via EASA, FAA, ANAC Brazil, DGAC Mexico and Transport Canada Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for installation on the Cessna CJ, CJ1, CJ1+, M2, CJ2, CJ2+, CJ3 and CJ3+ business jets.

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The two aircraft will be offered for charter services, complete with both ARG/US and Wyvern approved crews.

“We are excited to offer an even broader aircraft selection to help us to better serve our valuable client base.”

Bill Mayo, CEO of Mayo Aviation said: “We are excited to offer an even broader aircraft selection to help us to better serve our valuable client base. We are always exploring ways to better our company for our customers, and look forward to serving our elite clientele for years to come.”

Mayo Aviation is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, the company offers aircraft management services, charter and maintenance.

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Embraer Phenom 100 flying.

Colorado-based Mayo Aviation has added an Embraer Phenom 100 business jet to its charter fleet. The aircraft will be based at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport in Aspen, Colorado.

The Embraer Phenom 100 has a BMW-designed cabin, an enclosed lavatory with a built-in wardrobe and seats four passengers and two pilots.

ALSO READ: Mayo Aviation launches Executive Shares programme

Bill Mayo, president and CEO of Mayo Aviation, said: “The beautiful Phenom 100 is the perfect addition to our growing Aspen fleet. For small groups traveling shorter distances, the Phenom 100 is a great value.”

Mayo Aviation has its headquarters at Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colorado and offers both aircraft charters and management services.

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The exterior of a Hawker 900XP business jet.

Mayo Aviation in Colorado has launched the Executive Shares programme, a new fractional jet ownership programme, which offers up to 80 days of unrestricted use of a business jet at a cheaper cost than many similar programmes.

The Executive Shares programme will use the Hawker 800XP business jet and is equipped with a modern Wi-Fi internet connection.

The Hawker 800XP – originally the BAe 125-700 – was built for over 50 years until Hawker ceased production of its business jet line in 2012.

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