Wheels Up, the newly launched membership-based private aviation company based on a fleet of King Air 350i twin turboprops, has taken delivery of its first airplane and selected Gama Charters of Stratford, Connecticut, to operate its U.S.-based fleet.
Beechcraft will maintain all the King Airs in the Wheels Up fleet, which will be staged at seven “regional hubs” throughout the country, the first at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport. The company, founded by aviation entrepreneur Kenny Dichter, has placed an order potentially valued at $1.4 billion for 105 King Airs including options.
The first nine Wheels Up King Airs are due to be delivered by the end of the year, with 35 more to reach the fleet by mid-2015. The deal includes options for 70 aircraft as Wheels Up expands nationally over the next two to three years.
In September Wheels Up became the exclusive representative in the U.S. for VistaJet’s fleet of Bombardier Global long-range jets, which will be operated by Jet Aviation.
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