flyExclusive Deepens Vertical Integration With Expanded Maintenance and New Pilot Training Center at the Global TransPark, Backed by $30 Million North Carolina Investment

Key Terms

mro technical

MRO stands for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations, referring to the supplies and services companies provide to keep machinery, buildings, and infrastructure functioning smoothly. These essentials are vital for ongoing business activities, much like routine car maintenance keeps a vehicle running reliably. Investors pay attention to MRO companies because their performance reflects the health of industries that rely heavily on regular upkeep and support services.

part 135 regulatory

Part 135 is the section of U.S. aviation regulations that governs on-demand and small commercial air operations, such as charter flights, air taxis and some commuter services. For investors, Part 135 status signals the level of safety oversight, operating limits, insurance requirements and costs a company faces—think of it like a business license tier that dictates what routes, aircraft and customers a carrier can serve and how much it costs to run safely and legally.

avionics technical

Avionics are the electronic systems used on aircraft and spacecraft for navigation, communication, flight control, monitoring and onboard displays — think of them as the vehicle’s brain, dashboard and radio all in one. Investors care because avionics determine safety, certification requirements, upgrade cycles, and maintenance costs; changes or innovations in avionics can affect manufacturer competitiveness, supplier revenue and the timing of deliveries.

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Strategic, home-state investment is expected to create more than one hundred new aviation jobs, repatriate significant training and maintenance spend to North Carolina, and deepen flyExclusive’s vertically integrated operating model in Kinston

KINSTON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- flyExclusive, Inc. (NYSE American: FLYX), one of the largest private jet operators in North America — and the only fully integrated one — today announced that it has secured a $30 million grant from the State of North Carolina to expand its maintenance and repair operation and develop a new pilot training facility at the North Carolina Global TransPark in Kinston. The investment is expected to create more than one hundred new aviation jobs in Lenoir County and further strengthen the company’s deep operational roots in eastern North Carolina.

In addition to the new jobs, once complete the new facility will allow the company to repatriate the bulk of its current spend associated with flight training back to North Carolina. This includes over $5 million per year in direct pilot training costs paid to training providers outside of the state, as well as more than 8,000 hotel room nights per year directly associated with pilot training. Simulators located in the new facility are also expected to increase local property tax revenue, with each simulator valued at approximately $12 million.

The maintenance facilities, which also include state-of-the-art paint, avionics, and refurbishment capabilities will allow the company to complete substantially more of the scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on its fleet of aircraft in North Carolina. The expanded facilities will also enable the company to attract more third-party business as well. The bulk of the company’s more than $75 million in annual maintenance spend is also currently an out-of-state expense.

The funding was authorized under Senate Bill 257 (Session Law 2026-41), signed into law on July 7, 2026. The North Carolina Global TransPark Authority will retain ownership of the facility, which flyExclusive will operate under a long-term lease, and the company will contribute significant private investment alongside the state grant. flyExclusive intends to break ground as soon as possible.

The facility advances flyExclusive’s strategy of vertical integration — owning and controlling the critical inputs to its business rather than relying on third parties. An in-house pilot pipeline is designed to give the company a durable, cost-advantaged source of highly qualified aviators trained to its exacting operational and safety standards, complementing the in-house maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations at its Kinston headquarters. Together, they reinforce an operating model built to scale efficiently, support continued fleet and client growth, and raise service quality and reliability for the company’s Jet Club members, fractional owners and charter customers.

Two of the industry’s most persistent constraints — aircraft maintenance capacity and the availability of qualified pilots — become durable competitive advantages when a company can address them internally. By bringing more of this work in-house, flyExclusive expects to improve operating efficiency, reduce dependence on external providers and labor markets, and support scalable, long-term growth. Few private aviation companies possess the scale or operational integration required to build and operate this much of their value chain in-house — a structure designed to lower flyExclusive’s cost to grow and make its model difficult for competitors to replicate.

“Our people are what set flyExclusive apart, and this facility lets us develop the next generation of world-class pilots and create hundreds of high-quality aviation careers for the talented men and women who will help us keep growing here in North Carolina. These new facilities substantially expand our footprint at the North Carolina Global TransPark and substantially strengthen our already strong relationship with the Global TransPark,” said Jim Segrave, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of flyExclusive. “We are excited about continuing to invest and grow at the Global TransPark, and we look forward to breaking ground as soon as possible.”

The announcement follows a series of strategic growth initiatives undertaken by flyExclusive during 2026 as the company continues to invest in infrastructure, talent and fleet capabilities. As the nation’s largest Part 135 operator in terms of hours flown, flyExclusive has reported record Jet Club membership momentum and continued fleet growth — underscoring the demand its expanded operations at the Global TransPark are designed to support.

The training facility is part of a broader talent strategy at flyExclusive. The company also recently opened a new corporate office in Raleigh, expanding into one of the Southeast’s fastest-growing talent markets giving flyExclusive access to a deeper pool of experienced professionals across its sales, corporate, technology and operations functions. Together with the Global TransPark, the Raleigh office is designed to help the company attract and retain the people it needs to accelerate and sustain its growth.

About flyExclusive

flyExclusive is one of the largest private jet operators in North America, offering Jet Club membership, fractional ownership, and charters worldwide. Founded with a single hangar, the company has grown into an owner-operated fleet ranging from light to large cabin sizes. flyExclusive maintains full control over its fleet through its in-house MRO facilities at its headquarters in Kinston, North Carolina and holds ARGUS Platinum, Wyvern Wingman, and IS-BAO safety certifications.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the anticipated development, construction, timing, cost, staffing, use and benefits of the maintenance and pilot training facilities; the expected number of jobs created; the anticipated repatriation of flight training and maintenance spend to North Carolina and the estimated cost, hotel room-night, property tax and other economic figures referenced herein; the company’s ability to secure and scale its pilot talent pipeline and in-house maintenance capacity; and the anticipated effects on flyExclusive’s vertical integration, growth, operations, service quality and costs. Words such as “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” “will,” “look forward,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such risks include, among others, the satisfaction of conditions required before the grant funds are disbursed and the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements with state and local authorities; construction, permitting, staffing and cost risks; the company’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits and cost savings of the facilities; general economic and industry conditions; and the other risk factors described in flyExclusive’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and flyExclusive undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260729776256/en/

Media media@flyexclusive.com
Investor Relations investors@flyexclusive.com

Source: flyExclusive, Inc.