Solairus Aviation announces record growth in 2023

Aviation management company Solairus Aviation announced record flights, fleet expansion and employee growth in 2023.

The growth of Solairus, which was launched in 2009, came primarily from long range, large cabin and super mid-size aircraft owners who accounted for 87% of new additions and who make up 88% of the 325-strong fleet, according to the company.

Solairus added 18 ultra-long-range aircraft in 2023 and ended the year with 134, representing 16% growth and close to 70% of the company’s net new additions.

The large cabin fleet now stands at 103 aircraft, while super-mids account for 45 aircraft.

“I am humbled and energized by the faith and trust owners place in us to safely manage and support their flight departments,” said Dan Drohan, CEO, Solairus. 

“One of our founding goals was to become big enough to matter, while remaining small enough to care. Certainly, this type of growth makes us big enough to matter. We work tirelessly, every day, to remain small enough to care.”

Still hiring

The company’s three largest manufacturers are Gulfstream (127 aircraft), Bombardier (111) and Dassault (41). Embraer enjoyed the largest fleet growth in 2023 at 20%.

More than half the fleet operates part 91 only, and about 25% of the total is available for third-party charter, according to Solairus.

Solairus’ clients flew nearly 35,000 flights and 74,000 flight hours in 2023, operating to 1,334 airports in 126 countries and all 50 states.

The company added 320 staff in 2023, including 230 full-time pilots, 56 maintenance supervisors and 29 flight attendants. It now has 2,099 staff.

The company says it is expecting to hire more than 300 new crew members in 2024.