Elite Jets, a Naples-based charter air service for business and leisure travelers, is repainting its fleet of jets.
Elite Jets owns and operates four Embraer Phenom 300s and one Embraer Legacy 500. Each was put into service when the company was founded in 2016 and transports passengers to destinations across North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.
“Many aircraft owners paint their jets every 10 to 15 years, but we didn’t want to wait that long,” said Stephen Myers, CAM, senior vice president at Elite Jets. “The Elite Jets brand is known for its attention to detail and refined excellence, and that includes the exterior of our jets. The outside matters as much as the inside.”
In addition to aesthetics, aircraft paint helps protect jets from the elements, including corrosion caused by excess moisture and extreme temperatures. The FAA considers repainting a major alteration to aircraft and it must be logged in official maintenance records.
The new paint will mirror Elite Jets’ existing color palette and style. The primary color will be silver, with black and yellow striping stretching from belly to just below the windows.
Constant Aviation in Sanford, Florida, is completing the repainting project. Federal guidelines require the use of FAA-approved mechanics for inspections and FAA-approved facilities for jet repainting, which is a four-week process that requires dismantling the aircraft, stripping existing paint, a formal inspection to discover and repair possible damage from the elements, sanding, priming and then painting.
Elite Jets is sending one aircraft per month to Constant Aviation’s facility to minimize potential impacts on flight operations.
In addition to the five company-owned aircraft, Elite Jets also provides management services for a Gulfstream G550 jet and owns a Bell 407 helicopter. Those aircraft are not included in the repainting project.
