Air T

What Air T does

Air T, Inc. is a diversified American holding company operating a networked portfolio of twenty independent yet interrelated businesses across five aviation-related segments: overnight air cargo (Mountain Air Cargo and CSA Air operating under FedEx feeder contracts since 1980); commercial aircraft, engines, and parts (Contrail Aviation Support, JetYard, AirCo, and Worthington Aviation, specializing in CFM56-3/-5/-7 and V2500A5 components for Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families); aviation ground support equipment (Global Ground Support — the world's largest manufacturer of aircraft de-icing equipment and sole-source supplier to the U.S. Air Force since 1999); regional airline (Regional Express Holdings in Australia, acquired December 2025, operating the world's largest Saab 340 fleet); and digital solutions (WorldACD and Ambry Hill Technology providing subscription-based aviation data and business services). The company was established in 1980 in Minneapolis, North Carolina and now maintains corporate offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Charlotte, North Carolina alongside international offices supporting Crestone Air Partners in Denver, Amsterdam, Dublin, Singapore, and Buenos Aires.

Air T generates revenue through a mix of long-term service contracts (FedEx feeder operations at Mountain Air Cargo and CSA Air), capital equipment sales (aircraft de-icing and ground support hardware from GGS), transaction-based surplus and aftermarket parts trading plus aircraft and engine leasing (Contrail group), passenger and cargo fares (Rex), and recurring software subscriptions (digital solutions segment). The Crestone Air Partners platform — majority-owned following the June 2026 Arena Aviation Capital combination — manages approximately $3.6 billion in aviation assets under management with 124 aircraft and 17 engines on lease, targeting 10%+ returns after fees for capital partners. The go-to-market model is exclusively B2B enterprise sales through direct relationships with major airlines, airports, government/military customers, and aircraft operators and lessors; there is no consumer-facing pricing or SMB channel.

The holding-company strategy emphasizes capital allocation and investor-operator partnerships, with Air T deploying institutional capital across portfolio companies for growth activation. Capital activity has accelerated materially through 2025-2026: a $4 million private placement of trust preferred securities (November 2023); a $100 million expansion of the AAM 24-1 senior secured note facility with institutional investors (June 2025, maturing 2035); an AUD $50 million credit facility funding the Rex acquisition (December 2025); and an $80 million Blue Owl Capital investment in Crestone Air Partners (June 2026) reducing Air T's stake in Crestone to approximately 83.9%. An active at-the-market facility for Alpha Income Preferred Securities (AIRTP, 10.9% annualized yield) provides additional funding flexibility, while the company operates under SEC "baby shelf" provisions reflecting a public float below $75 million.

Name

Air T

Legal name

Air T, Inc.

Website

https://airt.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Air T is a diversified American holding company operating 20 businesses across five aviation segments — FedEx overnight air cargo, commercial aircraft and engine parts trading, ground support equipment manufacturing, Australia's Regional Express airline, and digital aviation subscriptions — with ~$3.6B in assets under management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversified Aviation Holding Services

NAICS

Scheduled Air Transportation (48111), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Air Express Carriers (Air + Ground) (TLADAAAC)

Keywords

• Aviation cargo services
• Aircraft parts trading
• Ground support equipment
• Regional airline operations
• Aviation asset management

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Overnight Air Cargo: Air express delivery services primarily for FedEx, including aircraft maintenance and repair. Revenue generated from flight operations, maintenance services, and administrative fees passed through from FedEx.
2. Commercial Aircraft, Engines and Parts: Leasing commercial jet engines and aircraft; buying, selling and trading surplus and aftermarket commercial jet engines, engine parts, airframes, airframe parts, avionics, and providing logistics services. Revenue from component sales and lease income.
3. Ground Support Equipment: Manufacturing and selling mobile deicers and specialized ground-support equipment. Revenue from equipment sales, spare parts, and support services to airlines, airports, military, and industrial customers.
4. Regional Airline: Regional passenger and cargo airline operations in Australia serving regional and remote communities. Revenue from passenger fares and cargo services.
5. Digital Solutions: Digital aviation and business services generating recurring subscription revenues from software customers in the aviation industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Air T is a diversified holding company operating 20 companies across 5 segments: overnight air cargo services (primarily for FedEx), commercial aircraft and engine leasing/trading and surplus aftermarket parts, aviation ground support equipment manufacturing (notably de-icing equipment), regional passenger and cargo airline services in Australia, and digital aviation software and data subscriptions. The portfolio generates revenue through long-term B2B contracts, equipment sales, aircraft and engine leasing, and recurring software subscriptions.

Product overview

Air T is a diversified holding company with a portfolio of 20 independent yet interrelated companies organized across 5 core business segments. The overnight air cargo segment operates through Mountain Air Cargo and CSA Air, providing air express delivery services primarily for FedEx with aircraft maintenance capabilities. The commercial aircraft, engines and parts segment (including Contrail Aviation Support, JetYard, AirCo, and Worthington Aviation) provides commercial aircraft trading, leasing, and surplus/aftermarket parts solutions. The aviation ground support equipment segment operates Global Ground Support (GGS), a world-leading manufacturer of aircraft de-icing equipment. The regional airline segment comprises Regional Express Airlines (Rex) in Australia along with pilot training and propeller maintenance operations. The digital solutions segment includes WorldACD and Ambry Hill Technology, providing digital aviation and business services generating recurring subscription revenues. Crestone Air Partners serves as the global aviation asset management platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crestone Air Partners: Global aviation asset management platform focused on trading, leasing, and managing commercial aviation assets. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado with offices in Amsterdam and Dublin.
• Mountain Air Cargo
• Contrail Aviation Support
• Global Ground Support
• Regional Express (Rex)
• Alpha Income Preferred Securities
• Runway Aero Advisors

Quantifiable outcome

• 42.27% CAGR revenue growth at Contrail from FY2017 through FY2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Arena Aviation CapitalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Crestone Air Partners (majority-owned by Air T) acquired Arena Aviation Capital, a diversified aviation asset manager. Combined platform has ~$3.6B AUM, 124 aircraft and 17 engines on lease, 55+ employees across 5 countries. Creates leading full-service aviation asset management platform.
• Royal Aircraft Services (Acquired)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2025Mountain Air Cargo (wholly-owned subsidiary) acquired Royal Aircraft Services in Hagerstown, MD. Strengthens MAC's MRO capabilities with specialized maintenance, repair, overhaul, and FAA-certified aircraft painting services.
• Phil SeymourminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2025Phil Seymour appointed as Strategic Advisor, based in London. Director and Shareholder at IBA Group with nearly 28 years aviation industry experience. Supports Air T's growth and business development strategy while expanding European presence.
• Steve Welo / Runway Aero AdvisorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 9 January 2025Air T launched Runway Aero Advisors LLC led by Steve Welo to advise companies raising debt and equity capital. Welo also continues to help Air T raise capital for existing businesses including Crestone Air Partners.
• Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLPminorOthersLegal counsel for Crestone Air Partners acquisition of Arena Aviation Capital.
• Kroll, LLCminorOthersFinancial advisor for Crestone Air Partners acquisition of Arena Aviation Capital.
• PwCminorOthersTax advisor for Crestone Air Partners acquisition of Arena Aviation Capital.

Scale indicators26 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Air Transport Services Group: ATSG (NASDAQ: ATSG) operates contracted air cargo services for express carriers (including Amazon and DHL) and aircraft leasing through Cargo Aircraft Management. Directly comparable to Air T's FedEx feeder operations and Contrail aircraft leasing business model.
• Atlas Air Worldwide: Atlas Air provides outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services to airlines, express delivery companies, and freight forwarders. Closely comparable to Air T's overnight air cargo segment and aircraft leasing activities through Crestone Air Partners.
• Willis Lease Finance: Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ: WLFC) leases commercial aircraft engines and manages a portfolio of jet engines across multiple platforms. Directly comparable to Contrail Aviation Support's engine parts and leasing business within Air T's portfolio.
• SkyWest: SkyWest (NASDAQ: SKYW) operates regional passenger airline services under partnerships with major U.S. carriers. Directly comparable to Air T's Regional Express Airlines (Rex) segment, which operates regional passenger services in Australia.
• Mesa Air Group: Mesa Air Group (NASDAQ: MESA) operates regional passenger airline services for major U.S. carriers. Directly comparable to Air T's Regional Express Airlines segment and the broader regional airline operating model.
• Avia Solutions Group: Avia Solutions Group is a global aviation services holding company with MRO, pilot training, ground handling, and aircraft leasing businesses. Closely comparable to Air T's diversified holding company structure spanning multiple aviation industry segments.
• Menzies Aviation: Menzies Aviation provides aviation services including ground handling, cargo, and fueling at airports worldwide. Comparable to Air T's ground support equipment manufacturing and aviation services businesses serving commercial airlines and airports.

Broad incumbents

• AerCap: AerCap (NYSE: AER) is the world's largest aircraft leasing company with a fleet of over 3,500 aircraft. As a broad incumbent in aviation asset management, it provides scale context for Air T's emerging Crestone Air Partners platform.
• GATX: GATX (NYSE: GATX) is a leading specialist in railcar and aircraft engine leasing with a diversified equipment leasing model. Provides comparable context for Crestone Air Partners' aircraft leasing and asset management activities.
• Signature Aviation: Signature Aviation operates the world's largest Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) network providing ground support, fueling, and aviation services at airports. Comparable to Air T's Global Ground Support segment for aviation ground support equipment manufacturing and services.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/airtinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Air T