The Jet Business Founder, Steve Varsano, Honored at Living Legends of Aviation with Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

Fourth Annual European Living Legends of Aviation Awards Ceremony and Gala Celebrated in Salzburg, Austria

SALZBURG, Austria, Sept. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kenn Ricci, Founder and Principal of Directional Aviation Capital and Chairman of Flexjet, Inc., presented Steve Varsano, entrepreneur and founder of the world's first corporate aviation showroom The Jet Business, with the Living Legends of Aviation Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award at the Fourth annual European awards ceremony.

Rooted in the longstanding expertise and innovation that Ricci and Flexjet fostered in the fractional jet industry over several decades, the Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award honors the visionaries and brilliant minds that leave a similarly lasting mark on the world of aviation. The Living Legends of Aviation are a group of remarkable people with extraordinary accomplishments in aviation including entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, astronauts, record breakers, pilots who have become celebrities and celebrities who have become pilots.

"It's been an honor to witness Steve's storied career in aviation not only as a peer, but as a friend," said Ricci, himself a legendary aviation entrepreneur and Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award honoree. "His journey is a testament to the power of following one's passion – something I believe in wholeheartedly. His visionary approach and unwavering commitment have transformed the aviation industry, and I am proud to present him with the Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award."

The awards originated in the U.S. in 2003, commemorating accomplishments in aviation and aerospace. Today, the Living Legends of Aviation include more than 125 honorees who meet yearly to recognize individuals that have made significant contributions in aviation. In addition to Ricci, the elite group of aviators include such marquee names as Buzz Aldrin, Tom Cruise, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Jeff Bezos, pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher, Federal Express founder Fred Smith and Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson among others.

This year's celebration took place at Scalaria resort on the shores of the Wolfgangsee outside Salzburg.

Throughout his career, Varsano influenced the aviation industry through his passion and innovative approach. Born in New York City, Varsano's fascination with aviation began at 14 after a flying lesson in a Cessna. Determined to pursue this passion, he worked in restaurants to fund his flying lessons, soloing at 16 and earning his pilot's license at 17. Varsano founded The Jet Business in 2011 in London's Knightsbridge district and is known for the world's first street-level corporate aircraft showroom which features a full-size mockup of an Airbus ACJ319 interior with bespoke leather seats and a moving cloudscape to simulate the feeling of flight. 

Understanding the impact of social media, Varsano set out to educate the public about the previously mysterious world of private aviation, achieving an astounding billion views across platforms including Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. His efforts have demystified the industry, attracted a broader audience and introduced hundreds of millions of young people to aviation. Varsano has served on the Board of Directors of a private jet membership business Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic and is on the Board of Trustees of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Varsano also spearheads education and career opportunities for underprivileged youth in the aviation industry, charting paths that were not previously accessible.

Varsano joins Ricci and several other stalwart industry leaders as winners of the Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award, including Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos, Solairus founder and CEO Dan Drohan, and most recently HEICO Corp. CEO Larry Mendelson, who was presented with the award earlier this year.

About Flexjet
Flexjet, Inc., a global leader in private aviation, first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995. Flexjet offers fractional jet ownership and leasing and is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation's Industry Audit Standard, is the first and only company to be honored with 25 FAA Diamond Awards for Excellence, upholds an ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, a 4AIR Bronze Sustainable Rating and is certified at Stage 2 with IS-BAO. Red Label by Flexjet, a market differentiator, which features an ultra-modern fleet, flight crews dedicated to a single aircraft and the LXi Cabin Collection of interiors. To date there are nearly 50 different interior designs across its fleet, which includes the Embraer Phenom 300 and Praetor 500, Bombardier Challenger 350/3500, the Gulfstream G450 and G650. Flexjet's European fleet includes the Embraer Praetor 600 and the Gulfstream G650. Flexjet's helicopter division sells fractional, lease, and on-demand charter access to its fleet of owned, operated and maintained Sikorsky S-76 helicopters which boast 55,000 hours of safe flying certified by Wyvern and ARG/US and serving locations throughout the northeastern United States, United Kingdom, and southern Florida. Flexjet is a member of the Directional Aviation family of companies. For more details on innovative programs and flexible offerings, visit www.flexjet.com or follow us on Instagram @FlexjetInc.

SOURCE Flexjet