Elite Jets adds quartet as charter company grows pilot team

NAPLES, Fla. (Dec. 27,2023) – Southwest Florida’s premier luxury charter service for affluent business and leisure travelers has added a quartet of pilots to its growing aviation team.

Elite Jets owns four Embraer Phenom 300 jets and one Embraer Legacy 500 jet that transport passengers to destinations across North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. The company, which operates from a private terminal at Naples Airport, additionally has a Bell 407 helicopter that provides sightseeing and travel services across southern Florida.

“Whether business or leisure travel, strong passenger demand for an alternative to commercial air travel continues to drive our expansion,” said Stephen Myers, CAM, senior vice president at Elite Jets. “And the prospect of working in one of the most desirable communities around ensures no shortage of top-notch candidates.”

Andrew McLean is one of Elite Jets’ new Phenom 300 captains. He joins the company from Kuwait Airways, where McLean was an Airbus A320 captain. A former Royal Air Force Air Cadet in Great Britain, McLean has also flown as a captain of Challenger, Gulfstream and Hawker jets, serving high-profile passengers such as Hollywood celebrities and members of the British royal family.

Jose Abelardo Calmet is the second new Phenom 300 captain. A native of Peru, he previously was captain for a Boeing 767 and is also certified to pilot other types of jets. Calmet credits his father, also a pilot, as his inspiration for a career in the cockpit.

Phenom 300 First Officer Lindon Baldwin comes to Elite Jets from the nearby Naples Air Center, where he worked as assistant chief flight instructor at the Naples Airport-based flight school. As a first officer, he assists the Phenom 300 captain in ensuring every flight is conducted in a safe and efficient manner.

The most recent new hire, First Officer Oscar Jimenez, joined Elite Jets in October. He brings nearly four decades of flight experience in the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico, including the past 25 years transporting both passengers and cargo for Atlas Air.

For more information about job opportunities at Elite Jets, please visit EliteJets.com/careers or call 239-900-9000.

About Elite Jets Charters

Founded in 2016, Elite Jets is a premier, safety-focused charter aircraft service that serves destinations across the U.S. and abroad. Elite Jets’ fleet includes four Phenom 300s, one Legacy 500 and a Bell 407 helicopter. The company’s Embraer luxury jets are well-suited for business and leisure travelers while offering an eco-friendly, best-in-class carbon footprint. Elite Jets maintains an Argus Platinum Rating, a prestigious safety and quality designation earned by just 5% of charter operators nationwide. The company also is registered with the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (ISBAO), a set of industry-leading best practices, and the WYVERN safety data network, which displays its Safety Intelligence Report and regulatory compliance information. Elite Jets also offers aircraft management services, which include providing pilots, training, maintenance, fleet insurance, scheduling and additional services. Passengers enjoy concierge-level service from Elite Jets’ private terminal at the Naples Airport, 125 Aviation Drive South in Naples. Charter flights and empty leg flights are available. For more information, please visit EliteJets.com or call 239-900-9000.

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Media Contacts:

Alan Zagier, Priority Marketing, Alan@PriorityMarketing.com, 239-267-2638 or 573-356-7917 (cell)

 Dave Breitenstein, Priority Marketing, Dave@PriorityMarketing.com, 239-267-2638 or 239-317-5424 (cell