Thomas Flohr has launched Vista Global, a new aviation group headquartered at the DIFC which will spearhead the consolidation of the fragmented and expanding business aviation market. Vista Global is built on four pillars with complementary services for consumers and trade.
Vista Global’s fleets will provide every customer with asset-lite solutions to fly point to point anytime, anywhere at a moment’s notice – either with guaranteed aircraft availability or On Demand. In addition, Vista Global will offer worldwide leasing and financing service for customers looking to purchase a dedicated aircraft. Complementing its consumer and trade offer, Vista Global will also support aviation companies looking to improve services to their clients through advanced technology, providing an end to end platform in a very fragmented global operator marketplace.
“Vista Global has been my vision ever since I started VistaJet in 2004. I wanted to create something truly new, something that would industrialize and consolidate the fragmented business aviation market across the entire range of flight service offerings,” Thomas Flohr said. “It is a historic moment for aviation and is the first of its kind. Vista Global is unrivalled in its service to offer all clients the full range of business aviation services on a global scale – flights, technology, finance.
”In order to serve each pillar of customer needs, three companies are part of Vista Global – VistaJet, which offers premium private travel and guaranteed availability; from 2019, Vista Lease will offer aircraft leasing and financing solutions; and TechX, the aviation technology firm offering end-to-end solutions for both customers and operators.
The launch of Vista Global is backed by longstanding supporters of Flohr’s enterprises, the global private equity firm Rhône Group. The financial group is investing an additional $200 million, strengthening Vista Global’s balance sheet as it looks to take advantage of future acquisition opportunities. The group states that it is well positioned to make further acquisitions going forward.
“Our investment in Vista Global builds on the relationship with Thomas Flohr and the support for VistaJet we announced last year,” said Steven Langman, Chairman and Co-Founder of Rhône Group. “In Vista Global we see the organization that will transform the nature of the business aviation sector and the one that is best-placed to take advantage of the changes of the industry. Vista Global’s business model and strategy give it a superior position in the market place. We could not be more pleased to have invested in such a dynamic industry pioneer.
”Vista Global’s premier flight service offer is VistaJet, founded in 2004. The company pioneered an innovative business model where customers have access to an entire global fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risk linked to aircraft ownership. Vista Lease will start operations in 2019. Flohr and his team from a former aircraft leasing and trading business have developed substantial experience and reputation in the space, with the prior company having ordered, financed and delivered a book of over $1.5bn of fixed assets between 2012 through 2017.
Vista Lease will hold several options for Global 7500 aircraft, as well as having the capitalisation to act as principal buyer in the pre-owned segment and then offer its inventory for lease directly to its customers, who seek a dedicated aircraft solution. The company will disrupt what it deems to be an “unnecessary and dated process” that involves customers being forced through a broker to broker chain and will look after an addressable market of over 7,000 super midsized and ultralong range jet aircraft.
TechX is the aviation technology pillar, with 50 technology specialists, which will build off and further enhance existing proprietary technology. The company’s mission is to create end-to-end services to allow companies to find customers, manage bookings, track flights and plan trips directly with operators, all on one platform. TechX addressable market are all 40,000 fix and rotor wing business aircraft in use around the globe.
Vista Global plans to expand its fleet within the next three years, further strengthening its current global coverage and infrastructure.