Solairus Aviation CEO Dan Drohan and Flexjet President Steve Varsano discussed the future of business aviation, changing workforce demands and evolving business models at an NBAA-BACE 2026 Newsmakers Kickoff Luncheon. The discussion focused on Solairus’s acquisition of Clay Lacy Aviation’s management and charter divisions and Flexjet’s acquisition of brokerage and advisory firm The Jet Business, placing two major transactions within the sector’s wider consolidation and growth.
Drohan, who founded Solairus, outlined the operational context of the Clay Lacy deal. The combined business is expected to manage more than 500 aircraft, while Solairus’s fleet averages about 14 seats and approximately 14 hours of certified range. Its typical flight is around two hours with two passengers, although hangar capacity remains a daily operating constraint.
Varsano, who founded The Jet Business, discussed its integration with Flexjet, where he serves as president. The transaction broadens Flexjet’s platform beyond aircraft operations by adding brokerage and advisory capabilities.
The luncheon, hosted by the National Business Aviation Association ahead of the convention in Las Vegas, examined how leadership, company culture and workforce development will influence the sector as operators expand through acquisitions. The session presented the two deals as examples of business aviation’s changing ownership and operating models rather than as announcements of new transactions.