Innovation and entrepreneurship in aviation move extremely slowly, and the creation of new business models only emerges after decades of trial and error. Despite the challenges of establishing a new kind of business in the global aviation industry, two college students have successfully created a new kind of air charter business.

When it comes to private aviation, consumers in the market are less price sensitive, allowing for new, more novel technologies to enter space with lower concerns over increased financial risk. Recently, Simple Flying found this to be exactly the case with regard to the widespread adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) after a conversation with Kennedy Ricci, the CEO of private aviation sustainability development firm 4AIR.

Photo: Escape Aviation

The process of chartering a private jet is also changing and is slowly becoming easier and more convenient than ever. In 2019, a pair of students came up with a novel idea to provide customers with easier access to private jets than ever and swiftly developed their concept into an industry-leading business. In this article, we will take a unique look at Escape Aviation, a private jet charter business launched by a pair of college students.

The founders

The idea for Escape Aviation actually originated back in August 2022, before the company’s two founders, Caleb Boyko and Kaden Green, were even in college. The pair of high-achieving students at the Williston Northampton School, an elite college-preparatory boarding school in Easthampton, Massachusetts, were just beginning their senior year.

According to the founders, the concept for Escape Aviation emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic when Green, an avid pilot, noticed a unique market environment created by pandemic-era travel restrictions. The demand for private jets was skyrocketing amid massive cutbacks in scheduled commercial service, but potential customers were increasingly unsure how to reach the market effectively.

Photo: Escape Aviation

Chartering a jet was a tedious process, so much so that it pushed many away from chartering altogether. At times, safety was a concern for potential customers, who were not always able to confirm the reputation or amount of training of the pilots and maintenance teams that would be taking care of their flight.

With all these factors in mind, Green decided that creating a private jet brokerage agency that allowed for safe and efficient bookings would be an excellent idea for a business. What Green lacked, however, was the extensive knowledge of financial and business practices that would be required to successfully launch this business, and thus sought out the assistance of his partner, Caleb Boyko.

Photo: Escape Aviation

With a joint investment of just $1,500 between the pair, the two were able to hire a lawyer, acquire software to create an aircraft sourcing platform, and quickly began the process of establishing the business. In the fall of 2023, the pair both enrolled in university, with Green now a first-year student at the University of Miami and Boyko a freshman studying finance at Texas Christian University.

Establishing operations

For Green and Boyko, once the company had been established, the challenge was now how to begin creating relationships with clients. According to a statement issued by Green to Simple Flying during an interview, that moment proved a critical turning point for the fledgling charter broker:

“The real work was just about to start. How to book trips and get clients was our biggest hurdle. How can we market our company with very little budget? We came up with the idea to reach out to people on Facebook.”

Despite being a rather unorthodox tactic, Green and Boyko found results through Facebook and later cold-called potential clients. After securing a few key clients, the company’s business soon began to spread by word of mouth.

Photo: Escape Aviation

Green, who had been previously employed by East Hampton Airport (HTO), had also established extensive connections throughout the business aviation industry. Now, in 2024, the company has gained access to over 5,000 private aircraft across the globe and is able to provide on-demand charter services with a global headquarters in New York City.

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Escape Aviation today

The company’s website offers an easy user interface, allowing users to input destinations, dates, and times and immediately receive prices and options on all different kinds of aircraft charters. The site also offers the opportunity to search for empty-leg bookings or heavily discounted flights that would otherwise be unoccupied.

Photo: Escape Aviation

In terms of aircraft offerings, the company provides all kinds of jets, turboprops, and even some helicopters, which are split into a number of different subcategories. Besides private jets, the company operates light jets, midsize jets, super-midsize jets, and heavy jets, which it is quick to refer to as the “flagship of luxury.”

The company’s most extensive offerings are towards the top of the market, with access to charter bookings on some of the most modern and luxurious intercontinental aircraft. A full list of the company’s heavy and super-midsize jets can be seen in the table below:

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Looking towards the future

In the coming years, Escape Aviation aims to continue targeting growth and expansion, finding new clients, and seeking out better ways to better serve the needs of existing customers. According to Green, the company’s future outlook can be described as such:

“We have a very strong mission to make the clients happy and fulfill all of their needs. Being in the service industry, we understand how important it is to always put the client before us. Going to college and running a business is definitely not easy, but we always remind ourselves that it will be worth it in the end.”

The private aviation industry continues to change, and customer preferences are rapidly shifting. As a result, companies like Escape Aviation must continue innovating to meet passenger demands and provide an efficient aircraft charter experience.