KINSTON – There’s more investment, and more jobs, coming to Eastern North Carolina, as Kinston-based flyExclusive opened a 48,000 square foot expansion facility at its headquarters this week.
The company, which employs more than 750 workers, also plans to add 200 additional employees who will work out of the new facility.
“Today is about more than just a new building; this facility embodies flyExclusive’s promise to our customers, employees, and community that our services are first-in-class. From right here in Kinston, North Carolina to everywhere our jets travel, flyExclusive is committed to our mission to be the best in private aviation,” said company founder and CEO Jim Seagrave during a ribbon-cutting event held on Thursday.
The building, which will be known as Hangar 4, will house the firm’s expanding Maintenance, Repairs, and Overhaul (MRO) division, according to the firm. And all of the company’s operations in this line of business is completed in North Carolina, Seagrave noted in his remarks.
With two new executives, private jet charter company flyExclusive opening engineering hub in Durham
More expansion coming
It’s the latest of a series of expansions that the company has made, including an expansion to open an engineering hub in Durham and the recent onboarding of more than 100 new pilots as well as a new CFO.
“Our MRO division is a vital pillar of our business, and we’re thrilled to unveil this latest investment,” said Tommy Sowers, the president and COO of flyExclusive in a statement. “Hangar 4’s opening is a major step forward as flyExclusive continues to take private aviation to the next level by prioritizing innovation and the overall customer experience.”
And, next year, the firm expects to expand, again, with the construction of corporate offices in Kinston. That future expansion will include a pilot training center an an additional hanger of approximately 72,000 square feet. By 2024, the company expects to construct a new terminal, according to a presentation by company officials during Thursday’s ribbon-cutting.
With a current fleet of 91 jets, including additional jets recently purchased by the company for a total of $300 million, the company is in the midst of growth, according to Seagrave, who noted an overall growth rate of 54% n Thursday’s remarks.
Across the United States, there are currently 1,929 private jet charter operators, Seagrave said. In February, flyExclusive reported record revenue growth for 2021, noting in a statement that it had growth to become the fourth largest private charter operator in the country.
~ WRAL Digital Solutions’ Jheri Hardaway contributed to this report
Editorial Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described a $300 million investment in one aircraft, rather than multiple aircraft totaling $300 million.
