The largest consolidation in American aircraft management this year is closed. Solairus Aviation completed its acquisition of Clay Lacy's aircraft management and charter business on October 1, 2026, according to Private Jet Card Comparisons, which cites an internal memo from Solairus founder and CEO Dan Drohan.
The combination creates what the companies describe as the largest managed private aircraft fleet in the world: around 200 aircraft on Solairus's Part 135 charter certificate and about 500 aircraft under management overall. The transition runs in two tranches, the first at closing and the second beginning November 1, with more than 135 consent assignments received from Clay Lacy aircraft management clients, per the memo.
The deal was announced on August 7, 2026. At the time, Solairus managed roughly 360 aircraft and Clay Lacy about 140; financial terms were not disclosed. Clay Lacy retains its FBO, maintenance, and aviation real estate businesses, which continue independently under the Clay Lacy brand, according to Business Jet Traveler.
"I cannot emphasize enough that there is still much work to do," Drohan wrote in the closing memo. "Today's closing is a major step in a longer integration, and November 1 will be our next important milestone."
In the original announcement, Drohan said the transaction solidifies Solairus's position "as the leading pure-play aircraft management company in the world." Clay Lacy chairman Brian Kirkdoffer said the foundation of the deal was the companies' "shared philosophies and our common emphasis on safety, customer experience and employee culture."
The photograph above shows Clay Lacy's Van Nuys hangar. The FBO, maintenance, and real estate operations, including the Van Nuys facilities, remain with Clay Lacy under the deal and are not part of the acquisition.
Photography: Clay Lacy Aviation
