Private aviation meets public markets

With more recent companies such as FlyExclusive Volato, or failed offerings such as SetJet closing it's doors last month, we thought it would be helpful to review the slightly longer track record of some public companies within private aviation:

As of my last update in January 2022, several companies in the private aviation space had gone public or were planning to do so. 

1. **NetJets**: While not a traditional initial public offering (IPO), NetJets, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, had its shares offered publicly through a private placement in 2020.

2. **Surf Air Mobility**: Surf Air Mobility, a company focused on electric aviation and air taxi services, went public through a SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Company) merger with Pacific Global Investment Management Company in March 2021. The combined entity was renamed Surf Air Mobility and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "SURF."

3. **Wheels Up**: Wheels Up, a membership-based private aviation company, went public through a SPAC merger with Aspirational Consumer Lifestyle Corp. in July 2021. The combined entity started trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "UP."

4. **Joby Aviation**: While primarily focused on electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility, Joby Aviation's services could intersect with the private aviation sector. The company went public through a SPAC merger with Reinvent Technology Partners in August 2021.

5. **Vertical Aerospace**: Another player in the electric aviation space, Vertical Aerospace, went public through a SPAC merger with Broadstone Acquisition Corp. in May 2021. The combined entity started trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "EVTL."

6. **BLADE Urban Air Mobility**: BLADE, a technology-powered urban air mobility platform, announced plans to go public through a merger with Experience Investment Corp., a SPAC, in December 2020. The merger was expected to be completed in 2021.

As you review your next aviation solution, it is important to get a full market analysis from an independant specialist so that you can make the best decision for you and not a sales rep's program or company.