Market Intelligence: North America

Thrust Flight (“Thrust” or the “Company”), a provider of professional flight training services, has been recapitalized by Summit Park and AltitudeX Aviation (“AltitudeX”). Headquartered in Addison, Texas, Thrust is a flight training school focused on serving those who aspire to be professional pilots through its Zero Time to Airline® program. Philpott Ball & Werner (PB&W) served as exclusive financial advisor to Thrust Flight.

Headquartered in Addison, Texas, Thrust is a flight training school focused on serving those who aspire to be professional pilots through its Zero Time to Airline® program. The Company was founded in 2006 as an aircraft dealer by aviators and entrepreneurs Patrick Arnzen and Stuart Stevenson. After identifying a clear need and opportunity, the Company shifted strategy to focus exclusively on serving the professional pilot training market. From its three strategic locations in Texas, including operations in Addison (Dallas), Denison (North Dallas), and Conroe (North Houston), Thrust provides a best-in-class student experience by offering access to a modern fleet of aircraft and simulator-based instruction. Students who graduate from Thrust’s program often go on to careers as airline pilots or pilots within other sub-sectors of the aviation industry.

Bob Calton, co-Managing Partner at Summit Park, said, “Patrick and his team have built a tremendous business at Thrust Flight. As their partner, we are excited to support Patrick’s vision for continued growth in the large and fragmented pilot training market. In recent years, Summit Park has been focused on the aviation and training sectors, and Thrust represents a compelling opportunity to invest behind those themes in a market with strong long-term demand drivers.”

Patrick Arnzen, CEO and Co-Founder of Thrust, said, “In seeking a growth partner for Thrust, Summit Park was a clear choice. Thrust has reached an inflection point in its growth, and Summit Park’s experience partnering with founders at a similar stage in their journey was a critical factor in my decision. Looking forward, we are eager to open new Thrust locations and continue to train and develop some of the industry’s best pilots.”

As part of the transaction, Summit Park partnered with AltitudeX, a firm of former senior aviation executives focused on middle market investments. AltitudeX will have members sit on the board and serve as a strategic advisor to the Company.

Source: Philpott Ball & Werner and Thrust Flight