Wheels Up Acquires Gama Aviation Signature | Aviation International News

Charter & Fractional

Wheels Up Acquires Gama Aviation Signature

Wheels Up has acquired Gama Aviation Signature, creating the second-largest private aviation company in North America.

(Photo: Barry Ambrose/AIN)

By Chad Trautvetter • Online Editor

March 2, 2020

Wheels Up has acquired U.S.-based business aircraft charter and management company Gama Aviation LLC (dba Gama Aviation Signature), creating the second-largest private aviation company in North America. Financial terms of the transaction, which closed today, were not disclosed. Gama Aviation Signature—the largest Part 135 operator in the U.S., according to 2019 Argus Traqpak data—has operated Wheels Up’s fleet of King Air 350is, Citation Excel/XLSs, and Citation Xs since Wheels Up launched in 2013.

The deal follows Wheels Up’s acquisitions last year of Delta Private Jets and Travel Management Company—the respective fourth and ninth-largest Part 135 operators per Argus data—as well as software developer Avianis Systems. Including today’s transaction, Wheels Up’s owned and managed fleet now numbers more than 300 airplanes. Using Argus figures, the combined entity logged more than 160,000 flight hours last year—more than number-two fractional provider Flexjet (111,189 hours).

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