Valiair Acquires SACI After FAA Grounds Over 600 Trustee Aircraft
Wyoming-based aircraft trust Valiair has acquired UK-based Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc Trustee (SACI), following a regulatory action by the Federal Aviation Administration that grounded more than 600 aircraft registered under SACI’s trusteeship.
The acquisition was confirmed in a statement issued by SACI on January 14, in which the company said it had reached an agreement with Valiair to take over ownership of the business. According to SACI, the primary objective of the transaction is to restore regulatory compliance and enable the affected aircraft to return to service as soon as possible.
The deal follows an FAA decision to invalidate more than 600 aircraft registration certificates issued to SACI. The regulator cited non-compliance with US citizenship requirements that must be met at the time of registration for aircraft placed on the US registry through trustee structures. The action led to the immediate grounding of a significant number of business jets, turboprops, and general aviation aircraft worldwide.
SACI director Faith Chmura said that Valiair will honour all trustee fees already paid by aircraft owners to SACI, providing continuity for affected customers. She added that SACI’s US legal counsel remains in active discussions with the FAA to clarify regulatory requirements and outline a path toward reinstating the grounded aircraft. While no specific return-to-service timeline has been confirmed, SACI said it will issue regular updates as the process progresses.
Valiair chief executive Marco Reininger told Corporate Jet Investor that the company acquired SACI through a full share purchase. As part of the transition, Valiair plans to move all operations to the United States, placing the trustee structure fully under US jurisdiction. Reininger emphasized that the FAA will ultimately determine whether and when the affected aircraft can be cleared to resume operations.
Reininger added that Valiair’s legal team remains closely engaged with the FAA and that the company is prepared to meet all regulatory and compliance requirements necessary to restore registrations. He described the acquisition as a long-term commitment to reinforcing trust structures that meet US legal and regulatory standards.
Valiair currently acts as the registered trustee for more than 400 aircraft on the US registry, serving business aviation operators, private owners, and leasing companies. Industry observers say the acquisition underscores the heightened scrutiny being applied to aircraft trusteeship arrangements and highlights the importance of strict adherence to citizenship and control rules governing US aircraft registrations.
The transaction is expected to have significant implications for aircraft owners affected by the FAA grounding, offering a potential route back to compliance while reinforcing Valiair’s position in the global aircraft trustee market.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com