Elite Jets has added three new pilots and a charter consultant to accommodate continued growth in the private travel industry.
The Naples-based charter company employs approximately 40 aviation professionals. New pilots include Kevin Johnson, Tom Taylor and Michael Grebb, and Josh Simpson as executive charter consultant.
“Elite Jets has grown steadily since the company was founded in 2016, and the pandemic accelerated growth as additional business and leisure travelers consider private charters instead of flying commercially,” said Stephen Myers, Elite Jets’ executive vice president. “Adding these experienced pilots ensures our team can continue accommodating requests for service to destinations around the country and abroad.”
Elite Jets operates from its private terminal at the Naples Airport.
Johnson captains the Legacy 500, a 10-passenger luxury jet with a range of 3,100 miles. Johnson trained at Spartan College of Aeronautics and American Air, later working for a pair of commuter airlines, TWA Express and U.S. Air Express. He also piloted contract flights with the U.S. Department of Defense and trained military pilots before Desert Storm.
Taylor captains the Phenom 300, a nine-passenger private jet with a 2,000-mile range, and has been a pilot since 1988, flying professionally since 2000 for multiple sectors of aviation, including charters, commercial airlines, corporate-owned jets and freight. He is commissioned as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business management from Hope College, a master’s degree in theology from the University of Toronto and an MBA in accounting and finance from Baker College.
Grebb captains the Phenom 300 and Hawker 850XP, a mid-size aircraft that Elite Jets manages. He has served as a corporate and charter pilot, as well as a flight instructor, and has flown internationally to countries across the world. Grebb earned a bachelor’s degree in aviation technology and operations from Western Michigan University.
As executive charter consultant, Simpson works with Elite Jets’ operations team and assists passengers with trip planning, scheduling and logistics. Previous positions include operations manager for a law firm, line technician at Naples Airport, manager of a municipal airport and multiple roles within the field of higher education. Simpson has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and German language from Valparaiso University.
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