Griffing Flying Service

What Griffing Flying Service does

Griffing Flying Service is a family-owned private aviation company headquartered at Erie-Ottawa International Airport in Port Clinton, Ohio, in continuous operation since 1937 across three generations of the Griffing family. The company serves business travelers, leisure families, Lake Erie Islands residents, private aircraft owners, and aspiring pilots through a diversified portfolio that spans on-demand charter, scheduled island service, maintenance, management, sales, detailing, hangar rental, and flight instruction. It self-positions as Northern Ohio's regional private air charter provider with reach to over 4,000 general aviation destinations across the US, Canada, and the Caribbean, and maintains a specialty daily scheduled service to Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Pelee Island (Canada), and Rattlesnake Island.

The company operates a fleet of 12+ aircraft comprising Citation II jets (400 MPH cruise, 1,200-mile range, 7-passenger), King Air turboprops (300-325 MPH, 900-1,200-mile range, 6-7 passengers), Piper Saratoga piston aircraft (150 MPH, 100-mile range, 4 passengers), a dedicated flight training fleet of Piper Archers, and a specialized island fleet. All charter and training aircraft are equipped with weather radar and de-icing equipment enabling all-weather operations. Beyond the airframes, Griffing runs a full-service FBO operation including aircraft maintenance (engine changes, structural repairs, restoration), aircraft management services (pilot staffing, maintenance coordination, fuel/training network benefits), aircraft sales and acquisitions with off-market sourcing, aircraft detailing, East and West Hangar rentals (post-2022 West Hangar expansion), and FAA-certified primary and advanced flight instruction led by a Chief Pilot and Director of Training.

The business generates revenue across nine distinct streams with no subscription SaaS component: per-flight charter fees (quote-based for long-range business, fixed per-seat for islands at $50-$125 one-way), professional services for maintenance and management, recurring managed-aircraft fees, flight training at $200-$255 per flight hour, recurring hangar rentals, transactional island freight ($2 envelopes, $5 minimum packages, $0.20/lb bulk), unit-priced aircraft detailing, aircraft sales commissions, and ancillary pet and ground transportation fees. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via phone (419-734-5400), text (419-210-1592), and website quote forms, supplemented by content marketing (blog, SEO) targeting Lake Erie Islands, private charter, and flight training keywords. The company is privately held with no institutional investors, no funding rounds, no public listing, and no disclosed revenue.

Name

Griffing Flying Service

Legal name

Griffing Flying Service, INC.

Website

https://flygriffing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Family-owned since 1937, Griffing Flying Service operates private jet and airplane charter, Lake Erie Islands service, aircraft maintenance, management, sales, hangar rental, detailing, and flight instruction from Port Clinton, Ohio to destinations across the US, Canada, and the Caribbean.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Aviation Charter Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Air Transportation (48121), Scheduled Air Transportation (48111), Flight Training (611512), Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881)

SIC

Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512), Air Courier Services (4513)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Jet Charter (On-Demand) (THABAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

On-Demand Scheduled Commuter (Part 135/Small Aircraft Scheduled) (THABACAN)

Keywords

• Private air charter
• Aircraft management
• Flight instruction
• Aircraft maintenance
• Lake Erie transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Clinton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Charter Services: On-demand private jet and airplane charter flights to over 4,000 destinations across the US, Canada, and Caribbean. Revenue generated per flight based on distance, aircraft type, and passenger count. Includes concierge services, gourmet catering, and ground transportation coordination.
2. Lake Erie Island Flights: Daily scheduled charter service to Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Pelee Island, and Rattlesnake Island. Fixed pricing per passenger ($50-125 one-way depending on destination). Inter-island flights available with two-seat minimum.
3. Aircraft Maintenance Services: Full-service maintenance including engine changes, structural repairs, and aircraft restoration. Staff with over 40 combined years of maintenance experience.
4. Aircraft Management: Professional management of privately-owned aircraft including pilot staffing, maintenance coordination, and operational support. Offers network benefits for fuel, training, and maintenance cost savings.
5. Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions: Buying and selling aircraft with assistance from selection through inspection, compliance, test flight, and delivery. Access to off-market aircraft through industry contacts.
6. Flight Instruction: Primary and advanced flight training including private pilot certification and continuing education. Instruction rates: Archer solo rental $200/hr, dual instruction $255/hr, ground training $55/hr, owner aircraft instructor $80/hr.
7. Aircraft Detailing: White-glove detailing services including standard wash, wash & wax, standard interior, and complete interior detailing with leather conditioning and carpet shampooing.
8. Hangar Rental: Monthly and transient hangar rental at Erie-Ottawa International Airport. East Hangar accommodates 3 King Airs or 7-8 smaller aircraft; West Hangar accommodates 4 medium jets or 9-10 smaller aircraft.
9. Freight Services: Island freight delivery including envelopes ($2 each), minimum packages ($5), and bulk freight ($0.20/lb).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Griffing Flying Service provides on-demand private jet and airplane charter flights to over 4,000 destinations across the US, Canada, and the Caribbean, using a mixed fleet of Citation II jets, King Air turboprops, Piper Saratoga aircraft, and a specialized Lake Erie Island fleet. The company supplements its charter business with aircraft maintenance, aircraft management, aircraft sales and acquisitions, aircraft detailing, hangar rental, and primary/advanced flight instruction from its base at Erie-Ottawa International Airport in Port Clinton, Ohio.

Product overview

Griffing Flying Service is a private aviation company offering a unified charter service platform with a fleet of 12+ aircraft including jets (Citation II), turboprops (King Air series), and piston aircraft (Piper Saratoga), plus specialized island fleet and flight training aircraft. The core offering is private jet/airplane charter service to over 4,000 destinations across the US, Canada, and the Caribbean, supplemented by supporting services including aircraft maintenance, management, sales, detailing, hangar rental, and flight instruction. The company specializes in Lake Erie Islands service with daily flights to Bass Islands, Kelleys Island, Pelee Island, and Rattlesnake Island.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Jet & Airplane Charter Service On-demand private jet and airplane charter flights to over 4,000 destinations across the US, Canada, and the Caribbean, with concierge support, gourmet catering, ground transportation coordination, and pet-friendly travel options for business travelers and leisure families.
• Lake Erie Islands Charter Service Daily scheduled private charter flights to Put-in-Bay, Middle Bass, North Bass, Kelleys, Pelee (Canada), and Rattlesnake Islands with fixed per-passenger pricing, pet-friendly options, and inter-island flights.
• Island Freight Services Freight delivery to the Lake Erie Islands priced at $2 per envelope, $5 per minimum package, and $0.20 per pound for bulk freight.
• Scenic Tours Aerial scenic tours of Lake Erie from 1,000 feet above the water, offering birds-eye views of regional attractions and used for special occasions such as engagement flights.
• Aircraft Maintenance Full-service aircraft maintenance including engine changes, structural repairs, and aircraft restoration, with staff contributing over 80 years of combined maintenance experience.
• Aircraft Management Professional management of privately-owned aircraft, including pilot staffing, maintenance coordination, scheduling, and network benefits for fuel, training, and maintenance cost savings.
• Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions End-to-end advisory for buying and selling aircraft, including off-market access through industry contacts, inspection, compliance, test flight, and delivery services.
• Aircraft Detailing Aircraft cleaning and detailing services including standard wash, wash & wax, standard interior cleaning, and complete interior shampoo with leather conditioning and carpet shampooing.
• Hangar Rental Monthly and transient hangar rental at Erie-Ottawa International Airport, with East Hangar accommodating 3 King Airs or 7-8 smaller aircraft and West Hangar accommodating 4 medium jets or 9-10 smaller aircraft.
• Flight Instruction Primary and advanced flight training with certified instructors covering private pilot certification (minimum 40 flight hours), solo and dual instruction, and ground training at published per-hour rates (Archer solo $200/hr, dual $255/hr, ground $55/hr, owner-aircraft instructor $80/hr).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80 years of continuous service operation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NetJets: Largest fractional aircraft ownership company globally, operating a fleet of thousands of business jets. Represents the dominant incumbent in private aviation with significant overlap with Griffing's charter and management offerings but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• JSX: Semi-private scheduled airline operating regional jet service with private terminal experience, overlapping with Griffing's market of business and leisure travelers seeking convenience over commercial aviation but at much larger scale.
• Wheels Up: Membership-based private aviation platform with large fleet of business jets and turboprops, offering on-demand charter comparable to Griffing but with national scope, technology-enabled booking, and substantial venture capital backing.
• Flexjet: Fractional aircraft ownership provider operating a large fleet of business jets globally, offering similar private aviation services as Griffing but at significantly larger scale with broader geographic coverage.
• Signature Flight Support: Global fixed-base operator providing fueling, hangar, maintenance, and ground services at airports worldwide, comparable to Griffing's aircraft maintenance, management, detailing, and hangar rental service lines at Erie-Ottawa International Airport.

Direct peers

• Linear Air: On-demand private air charter broker and operator serving the eastern United States with light jets and turboprops, similar in offering pay-per-flight charter service to business and leisure travelers as Griffing's charter product.
• Executive AirShare: Midwest-based fractional aircraft program with operations in Ohio and surrounding states, offering shared aircraft ownership similar to Griffing's charter and aircraft management business. Closely comparable in both business model and regional Midwest footprint.
• PlaneSense: Regional fractional and whole-aircraft operator in New England using Pilatus PC-12 turboprops, comparable in business model (whole-plane charter and management for individuals and businesses) and fleet composition to Griffing's turboprop charter and aircraft management services.
• Tradewind Aviation: Regional private charter operator offering scheduled shuttle and on-demand charter to the Caribbean and Northeast US, comparable to Griffing's mix of scheduled island service plus long-range Caribbean charter with customs support.
• Surf Air: Membership-based private aviation company offering scheduled and on-demand flights, comparable to Griffing's chartered regional service model though focused on West Coast and select routes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/griffing-flying-service
• Facebookfacebook.com/flygriffing
• Xx.com/flygriffing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Griffing Flying Service