Jet Set Adds Competition for Executives in a Hurry

Pinnacle Air Group LLC of Rogers is now not the only firm that’s targeted Northwest Arkansas for jet aircraft and charter service.

Executive Jet Management of Cincinnati, Ohio, has hired Matthew Betty away from business jet services leader FlightTime Corp. Betty, based in Arlington, Texas, will serve as EJM’s regional vice president for an 11-state region in the Midwest. Arkansas is included in that area, so local executives can now charter an EJM flight with local pickup.

Pinnacle Air, comprised of developers Collins Haynes, Bill Schwyhart and Robert Thornton, bought a Diamond 1A business jet in 2001. That multimillion dollar aircraft operates as part of the 11-jet fleet at Central Flying Service of Little Rock and provides charter service in and out of Northwest Arkansas.

EJM boasts a diversified fleet of light to mid-sized jets based all over the nation.

Both camps said it’s difficult to provide charter pricing because of volatile fuel and other costs. But in general, Pinnacle Air’s charters are about $1,650 per hour. EJM’s are about $1,900 for a light jet such as a Lear 35 or as much as $5,100 per hour for a Gulf Stream 4-SP.