Gen 4 Jets

Garrett Lassiter’s great-grandfather was a pilot who helped to ferry aircraft to Europe during World War II. When he returned home he became one of the first crop dusting pilots in Northeast Arkansas.

His son became a pilot and then his son, Brent, who is Lassiter’s father, became a pilot, too. It only made sense when Lassiter decided that was the career path he would take. Last year, Lassiter partnered with his father to form Gen 4 Jets, a luxury private jet charter service. It’s based in Newport, and the name represents the four generations of pilots in their family.

“I’ve always had a passion for flying. I love the freedom. It’s not a conventional job,” he said.

The charter service can fly anywhere in the U.S., but the three places they go the most are New York City, Atlanta, and Miami. The charter service has one jet, a Cessna CJ1.

Father and son were able to acquire a nine seat or less charter certificate from a company in Boise, Idaho, that was looking to upgrade to a 10 more-seat certificate through the Federal Aviation Administration.

In addition to the charter jet, the company manages five privately-owned aircraft. They provide pilots, food and other services on these aircraft, Lassiter said.

By this summer, the company hopes to have two more jets under a charter certificate. The company has four full-time pilots and eight others with a contract. Finding pilots is relatively easy, but finding the right ones for their company culture is more of a challenge, he said.

“When our passengers come onboard the first person they see is the pilot. Our pilots are the face of our company,” he said.

Initially, they only wanted about six aircraft under charter, but they’ve learned that they can handle more than that, Lassiter said. The goal is to grow their charter fleet and add other private planes to the management side of the business.

What are the advantages of flying charter versus commercial flights?

Lassiter said those flying private don’t have to go through long lines at the airport and they don’t have to arrive hours before the flight. Passengers can arrive moments before the flight, and the jet can take off 10 minutes after arrival.

Whatever food and drinks they want to be served are catered, and when the jet lands it takes only a few minutes to connect a passenger with their prearranged ground transportation. No baggage line waits or lost bags to deal with, he added.

“It’s very high-end, tailored for your experience. It’s efficient. It’s convenient. It’s a great way to travel,” he said.

Editor’s note: This company is a finalist for the Northeast Arkansas Outstanding Business Awards — Small Business category. Winners will be announced at a luncheon on April 15. Contact Rob Gutterridge at rgutterridge@nwabj.com for tickets.