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Bermuda business acquired for Journey
As the only holder of a Bermuda AOC, Longtail Aviation fell prey to the acquisitive eye of Journey Aviation CEO Fabian Bello. Together the companies hope to exploit large group and cargo markets.
Fabian Bello's investment team has acquired Longtail Aviation.

Bermuda-based Longtail Aviation has received major investment by a team led by Journey Aviation CEO Fabian Bello. The acquisition brings an infusion of capital to assist in growing the company, and will allow Longtail to offer a viable, first-world aircraft management solution with no passenger seat or maximum weight restrictions.

“My partners and I believe our investment will propel Longtail to the next level and make it the 'go to' operator of choice for large passenger and/or cargo aircraft,” says Bello. “We can take on anything from a Boeing 737, Lineage 1000 to an Airbus 330 or a 747-800 cargo aircraft.”

Longtail holds the world's only Bermuda AOC, and says it is the only company with the direct authority to operate charter flights with Bermuda registered aircraft. Through this acquisition it is now positioned to accommodate any customer, anywhere in the world, from its strategic location and establish operations in areas that have traditionally been underutilised.

Longtail has operated turboprops and light jets up to BBJs, and was the first non-US carrier to achieve the ARGUS Platinum rating. The company benefits from Bermuda's tax neutrality, and assists with the registration of newly acquired aircraft along with conformity inspections for commercial operations.

“An aircraft which is being registered in Bermuda and added to our AOC does not need to come to Bermuda for its airworthiness inspection,” explains CEO Martin Amick. “We believe that this new acquisition and partnership, coupled with Fabian Bello's proven track record in aircraft management and his extensive contacts and friends within the industry, will enable Longtail to achieve new levels of success, market penetration and customer service.”

With the growing globalisation of businesses and overall strength of the economy, Bello has identified opportunities to help satisfy the demand for additional aircraft and additional routes in cargo transport as well as private aviation. He is CEO and founding member of Gulfstream operator Journey Aviation, and under his leadership the company has demonstrated notable growth since its inception in January of 2014, exceeding US$150 million in total revenue within its first five years in business. Bello's business background is diverse, having served as executive vice-president and president/CEO of an international division as well as president/CEO of other related aviation companies operating in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. He also managed the introduction of Deer Jet's BBJ and ACJ fleet into the Middle East.

Bello will serve as chairman of the board of the entities that own Longtail Aviation, while longtime CEO and accountable manager Amick will continue in his role.

For Bello, his involvement in Longtail represents a personal journey that has taken him full circle. “Life is very interesting,” he says. “I became known in the market while successfully operating in the BBJ/ACJ world almost a decade ago. To have the opportunity to acquire an entity that I started working with and learned from back then, is truly remarkable. It shows that if you focus and consistently do the right thing, at some point you'll not only be recognised but be rewarded for it.”

Journey Aviation is a worldwide aircraft management company with an FAA Part 135 certificate based in Florida. Its team provides turnkey management, on-demand charter for domestic and international travel, acquisition of aircraft and other consultancy to discerning clientele. The company currently manages and charters over fifteen aircraft in the US, including the Gulfstream IV/IVSP/GV/G450/G550 and Falcon 2000, and operates from three major regions: the greater New York area; southern Florida; and southern California.

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