Citadel Aviation has agreed to acquire Mach 1 Aviation Group, a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 145-certified repair station in Savannah, Georgia, expanding its presence on the U.S. East Coast and adding aircraft-on-ground (AOG) support to its services.
The deal, which is expected to close by the end of September, is subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Mach 1, founded in 2020 by former Gulfstream master technicians Richard Bennett, Derek Johnston and Ben Venuti, provides airframe, avionics and cabin systems support for Gulfstream aircraft worldwide. Its team has more than 100 years of combined technical experience across avionics, SATCOM and cabin communications, engine and airframe systems, and entry-into-service programmes.
The company is an approved service provider to most Part 135 operators in its market and also supports a large base of Part 91 aircraft owners. Its services include maintenance support and assistance with aircraft transactions.
Following completion of the deal, Mach 1 will continue operating under its FAA Part 145 certificate and retain its existing customer commitments. Its Savannah facility will become an East Coast service and AOG coordination centre for Citadel.
Mach 1 customers will gain access to Citadel’s broader capabilities, including maintenance, repair and overhaul, cabin refurbishment, engineering, connectivity and technology upgrades, as well as support for narrow- and wide-body VIP aircraft. Citadel customers will gain access to Mach 1’s rapid-response Gulfstream support.
The acquisition is part of Citadel Aviation’s expansion following its rebrand from Citadel Completions in January. The company opened operations at Dallas Love Field in March and said it secured 13 new VIP aircraft projects in January. It has completed 48 aircraft projects to date.
Mach 1 will be Citadel’s third major capability expansion in less than a year.
