Jet Aviation

Jet Aviation is a Basel-based provider of business aviation services. Founded in Switzerland in 1967, it provides aircraft sales, maintenance, and charters using its fleet of more than 200 aircraft. Since 2008, Jet Aviation has been a subsidiary of General Dynamics and employs approximately 4,000 staff across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

History
Carl W. Hirschmann established Jet Aviation in 1967 as a maintenance organization when he bought the former Globe Air hangars in Basel, Switzerland, and opened the first maintenance facility for business aircraft in Europe.

Two years later, he Pilatus maintenance and airline handling operations in Zürich and Geneva. He also began offering aircraft charter and management services to European and Middle Eastern customers.

1970s
During the 1970s, the company expanded its operations to the European and Middle Eastern markets, including charters and aircraft management, establishing its first overseas maintenance facility in Düsseldorf in 1975. Two years later, the company introduced outfitting at its Basel facility. In 1979, it began FBO operations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

1980s
Since the mid-'80s, the company bought existing FBOs in Boston/Bedford, Massachusetts and Palm Beach, Florida. In 1988, the company added an FBO in Teterboro, New Jersey, and acquired Teterboro-based Executive Air Fleet.

1990s
Jet Aviation, Basel, and the three U.S. FBOs in Boston/Bedford, Palm Beach and Teterboro were expanded. In 1994, Jet Aviation was granted the right to expand its airline handling services in Zurich and Geneva to provide services to scheduled airlines and IATA carriers. It opened a maintenance and FBO facility in Singapore in 1995.

2000s
In October 2005 Jet Aviation was acquired by the Permira Funds, which marked the end of 38 years of family entrepreneurship. Under new ownership, in March 2006, the company announced its acquisition of St. Louis-based Midcoast Aviation, one of the leading maintenance, repair and overhaul, modifications and completions companies in North America. After almost 40 years as part of the group, Jet Aviation sold its airline and cargo handling division in Switzerland on November 6, 2007, to Dnata, the largest supplier of air travel services in the Middle East. Since December 2007 Jet Aviation has also provided line maintenance, defect rectification, and AOG services at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport.

In January 2008, Jet Aviation acquired U.S.-based maintenance and completions company Savannah Air Center located at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. In Spring 2008, Jet Aviation and Beijing-based Deer Air, signed a joint venture to operate an FBO and line maintenance facility at Beijing's Capital International Airport.

On November 5, 2008, the company was acquired by U.S.-based General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia. As part of General Dynamics, Jet Aviation operates as an independent business unit within the General Dynamics Aerospace Group.

Business Jets
Established in 2002, Business Jets Limited is a branch of Jet Aviation operating in the Hong Kong area. Based at Hong Kong International Airport, it provides chartered passenger services using its fleet of one Bombardier BD-700 and two Gulfstream G550 aircraft.