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Sentient Jet Holdings to Sell Business Units to Macquarie Global Opportunities Partners

Jet Membership, Retail Charter Brokerage and Fuel Management Business to Be Sold

  • Agreement Will Separate Sentient Jet Holdings Into Two Standalone Companies
  • Former Sentient CEO, Steven Hankin, to Lead New, Macquarie-Owned Company, Which Will Retain the Sentient Brand Name

WEYMOUTH, Mass. - August 13, 2008 - Sentient Jet Holdings announced today it is separating into two standalone companies. The aircraft management and charter operations, technical services and FBO business units will form one company and the jet membership, retail charter brokerage and fuel management business units will form the second company. As part of the split, Macquarie Global Opportunities Partners (MGOP) has entered into an agreement to acquire the jet membership, retail charter brokerage and fuel management businesses, which will retain the Sentient brand name. The transaction is expected to close in late August. Terms were not disclosed.


Gregory Campbell, Chairman and CEO of Sentient Jet Holdings, commented: "Following a period of sustained and remarkable growth across all of our businesses, the Board of Managers and I concluded that the operating and capital structure of the jet membership, retail charter brokerage and fuel management programs was better suited as a separate, standalone company. In choosing to sell these three businesses as a package to Macquarie, combined with the recent equity investment from our current investor group, we are ensuring the long-term success of each of our remaining businesses. We look forward to continuing the growth of our industry-leading Aircraft Management and Charter Operations Division as well as our Fixed Base Operations and Technical Services business."


MGOP will establish a new company for the acquired business units which will be led by Steven Hankin, the former CEO of Sentient Jet Holdings. "After reviewing a range of strategic alternatives, we are confident that partnering with MGOP and Macquarie, a world-class investment firm with significant experience across the aviation sector and access to capital, is a natural fit," said Hankin. "With the sponsorship of Macquarie Global Opportunities Partners, this new company will be well capitalized and well positioned to continue building industry-leading jet membership, retail charter brokerage and fuel management programs under the Sentient brand."


Sentient Jet Membership currently has nearly 3,500 active members and continues to be the most flexible approach to private jet travel available in the market today. The Sentient fuel management business is a leading national volume aggregator and full service fuel management program for aircraft owners and operators and the Sentient retail charter brokerage business has rapidly emerged as one of the largest retail charter brokerage programs in the country.


Michael Cook, Senior Managing Director of MGOP, said, "We are excited to be acquiring Sentient's jet membership, retail charter brokerage and fuel management company. Each of these business units has a strong track record of profitable growth. We are confident that the experienced management team and employees within these businesses, led by former Sentient CEO Steven Hankin, will be ideally positioned to manage the new company going forward. Under our ownership, Sentient will continue its focus on quality, safety and exceptional service as well as leveraging its proprietary systems that make it a leader in its industry."


About Sentient Jet Holdings
Sentient Jet Holdings is a leading national provider of private aviation services for clients across the country and includes Sentient Flight Group, Inc., an FAR Part 135 air carrier, Sentient Jet, Inc., which operates the Sentient Jet Membership Program, as well as other operating subsidiaries. Importantly, the core FAR Part 135 Operating Certificate is setting a new standard for charter operations as it is the only Part 135 certificate with an FAA-accepted Safety Management System (SMS) and Air Transport Oversight System (ATOS) incorporated into an advanced manual system, bringing its safety program in line with those required of FAR Part 121 scheduled commercial airlines. Investors include CD Ventures, ABS Capital Partners, AIG, Argosy Capital, Brantley Partners and HSBC. More information is available at www.sentientflight.com and www.sentient.com.


About Macquarie Global Opportunities Partners
Macquarie Global Opportunities Partners (MGOP) is an unlisted fund focused on making private equity investments in privileged cash flow businesses globally. Established in 2007, MGOP is managed by a subsidiary of the Macquarie Group (Macquarie).


Macquarie is a global provider of banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services. Macquarie’s main business focus is making returns by providing a diversified range of services to clients, acting on behalf of institutional, corporate and retail clients and counterparties around the world. Macquarie Group Limited is listed in Australia (ASX: MQG) with total assets under management of $212 billion.


Through funds that it manages on behalf of investors or as principal, Macquarie is an experienced investor in a wide range of specialist essential service asset classes around the world including aviation, transportation, ports, utilities, infrastructure services, media and telecommunications.


Macquarie has significant experience managing and/or owning investments in the aviation industry including Fixed-Base Operations (FBOs), airports, aircraft leasing and jet engine leasing.


Media Contacts:
Anton Nicholas
Sentient Flight Group
917-862-4449
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Alex Doughty
212-231-1710
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Sentient Jet Membership and Sentient Charter are programs of Sentient Flight Group, LLC (“Sentient”). Sentient arranges flights on behalf of members and clients with FAR Part 135 air carriers that exercise full operational control of charter flights at all times. Flights will be operated by FAR Part 135 air carriers that have been certified to provide service for Sentient and that meet all FAA safety standards and additional safety standards established by Sentient.