About Us
Our team of professionals have nearly 100 years in the aviation industry. As each year passes our expertise sharpens and the bonds forged with industry colleagues around the world strengthen. As a result, our clients benefit from superior access to accurate market intelligence, and our genuine desire to serve others as a fiduciary.
Mission: To provide superior technical, regulatory, and financial guidance with uncompromising loyalty and unequaled results. Our expertise in aircraft research, aircraft evaluation and shrewd negotiation techniques are for the sole benefit of our clients.
Our Clients Come First. Our firm exists for two purposes, to be recognized as the best in the business, and to put the needs of our clients first. Our recommendations are unbiased because our revenue comes solely from our core business. As your fiduciary, we have no stake in the management, operation or maintenance of your aircraft. When your aircraft transaction is at its most critical moment we are on task, not in the cockpit at 37,000 feet.
Attention to Detail: Coleman Jet Solutions prides itself on superior client focus and a sense of urgency. With the rapid swings in the market, clients benefit from our prompt response and attention to detail. We look forward to creating your ideal aircraft solution.
Unparalleled Security: Coleman Jet Solutions is one of the few transaction specialists that carries Aviation Professional Services Liability Insurance coverage in addition to standard Commercial Liability coverage. This unique product, offered only by Global Aerospace, provides clients the peace of mind knowing that Coleman Jet Solutions stands behind it’s work, is willing to think outside the box, and go after opportunities on behalf of its clients that are unwilling to pursue.
Team
Prior to joining Coleman Jet Solutions, Mike served as an aircraft sales and acquisitions executive for 15 years with Chicago based aircraft brokerage, General Aviation Services, a member of the International Aircraft Dealers Association. Mike also gained status as an IADA Certified Broker. Prior to that, Mike served as Assistant General Manager at Signature Flight Support, an FBO located at the Chicago Executive Airport (PWK), and also served as Manager of Administration for Priester Aviation, an Aircraft Charter and Management Firm also based at PWK. Mike is a licensed Private Pilot, and graduate of Roosevelt University with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Administration. Mike and his wife Kristen have been married for 20 years, and have two children Kallie (16) and Teagan (11).
Jordan Rogers is a premier Aircraft Transaction Coordinator for Coleman Jet Solutions. He is both a sUAS pilot and Instrument rated Private Pilot. Skilled in several disciplines, Jordan found a love for flying and has a passion to bring a 5-Star experience to Business Aviation.
A well-versed Jack of All Trades, Jordan has specialized in several sales and strategy positions before coming to Coleman Jet Solutions, including serving as a Brand Marketing Specialist for CST Brands in San Antonio, Texas, as a Territory manager for Wind River S&D, and as a Partner and Head of Operations for Argentina Beef Co. He graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2016 with a dual bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting and is an avid dog lover, traveler, lover of Rocky movies. Although he has found a home in Chicago, he is filled with a true Texas spirit.
Jonah Rosenberg brings his lifelong enthusiasm for aviation to the Coleman Jets team. His research skills give him a deep knowledge of the aircraft market. Jonah has prior experience in commercial real estate as well as concert planning and promoting, where he coordinated with Chicago city officials, community advocates, and musicians.
Jonah graduated from Dickinson College in May 2022 with a degree in Middle East Studies, supplying him a wealth of knowledge about world commerce. Jonah is a lifelong resident of the Chicago area and enjoys going to Wrigley Field and cheering on the Cubs as well as exploring Chicago’s culinary scene in his time outside of the office.
Lilith Tang has extensive experiences in marketing, branding, and public relationship. Served as Student Designer for Office of Marketing and Communications at School of the Art Institute of Chicago and as Summer Graphic Design Intern at Equity LifeStyle Properties, she is skilled at creating marketing strategies for specified audiences. Her experience at Burson Cohn & Wolf’s Public Relationship Department Aviation Team brings her a unique perspective of the aviation industry to Coleman Jet Solutions. As an international student who has been living in the United States for almost 10 years, Lilith is fluent in both Chinese and English.
Lilith has a bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis and a master’s degree in Visual and Communication Design from The School of Art Institute of Chicago. Lilith is a cat lover, a foodie, and a painter.
With over 32 years of experience in the aviation industry, David Coleman leverages his extensive experience in technical oversight, flight operations and transaction management to benefit clients throughout their aircraft ownership cycle.
As a prior member of the International Aircraft Dealers Association, Dave was one of the first brokers in the world to earn status as a “Certified Broker”. Dave has a particular expertise and interest in complex international transactions and has used this capability to assist clients including banks and leasing companies in the acquisition and disposal of overseas and distressed aircraft.
Dave is a current ATP-rated pilot with over 7,000 Hours of flying time in over 40 aircraft models including type ratings in turboprops, jets and seaplanes.
Dave earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, and followed up with post-graduate studies in Polish Language and Culture at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. After graduation, Dave sold training and utility aircraft, and later became a technical representative at an aircraft leasing company in Chicago. From there, he took a position supervising a team of Boeing and Lockheed mechanics, where he learned the challenges of aircraft maintenance. For several years in the early 2000s, Dave flew turboprops for a regional feeder of American Airlines out of St. Louis, Missouri.
Although he’s been in aircraft sales and acquisitions in the Chicago area for the last dozen years, Dave continues to fly. He owns a high performance piston twin aircraft that he rebuilt and refurbished with friends, and donates his time and aircraft to Lifeline Pilots, shuttling financially disadvantaged patients to hospitals throughout the Midwest.
Dave and Julie have been married for 17 years and have two children, Naomi (14) and Ben (10).
Advisors
Dan Dickinson
Dan is Chairman of the Board for INAV Group, LLC, a Chicago based firm that specializes in the purchase, sale, and lease of commercial airline aircraft and engines.
Dan is Chairman of the Board for GAS Capital Inc. (GASC), a Chicago based holding company that specializes in the purchase, sale, and lease of commercial airline aircraft, engines, business aircraft and helicopters.
As an advisor to Coleman Jet Solutions, Dan brings his wealth of industry knowledge, innovative business strategies and commitment to operating on a very high level of trust with partners, team members and customers.
Over the years, Dan’s companies have sold over $2.0 billion in aircraft and have entered into leases as principals for more than 200 aircrafts and engines and have conducted business in 52 different countries. Dan has established, sold and merged multiple 8 successful companies including General Aviation Services, Inc. which was sold in 2005 after 32 profitable years of operation.
Dan is founding member of IADA – International Aircraft Dealers Association, (formerly known as the National Aircraft Resale Association – NARA), a trade association that was formed to establish ethics in the marketplace. He has served the organization as President, Vice President and twice as Chairman.
Dan entered the aviation industry when he was just 21 years old and has accumulated over 10,000 hours of flying experience, with type ratings in several business jets. Dan is a graduate of Western Illinois University.
Monica Carroll
As counsel for Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, Monica Carroll represents lenders and borrowers in diverse financing transactions.
She has extensive experience in negotiating and documenting single lender and syndicated commercial loan transactions, including asset-based lending transactions, leveraged loans and real estate finance transactions. She has significant experience in Commercial Aircraft Leasing and Financing as well as transactions involving clients in the healthcare and wholesale diamond industries. As a member of the BLCP’s Art Law Team, she has handled numerous loans secured by portfolios of art works and collectibles.
As an advisor to Coleman Jet Solutions, Monica brings her wealth of expertise regarding legal and regulatory compliance so that clients and partners are served to the highest possible standards.
Monica graduated cum laude from Harvard University Law School and the University of Illinois, Champaign.
Heritage
1960
1960
At age of 22, Phil Coleman bought and then resold his first aircraft; a single-engine Piper Comanche. He had a keen interest in long distance oceanic flying which, even today is considered a risky venture. Light aircraft were shipped by boat, because flight insurance was difficult to obtain, communication radios were unreliable, and navigation equipment was poor and could not be installed in small planes. Coleman established methods to conduct this kind of flying safely and professionalized the business. He was an original member of ICAO North Atlantic Planning Group and continued to ferry small planes until he retired from flying.
1961
1961
Coleman Aircraft pioneered the methods we use today to perform cross border aircraft transactions. The sheer number of international transactions and the requirement to securely move funds by international wire transfer lead Coleman Aircraft Corporation to become one of the first to use escrow services for transactions. Coleman was one of the first clients of the late Sharon Hoaglin Schroeder known as the pioneer of the aircraft escrow industry.
1972
1972
In 1972, Coleman Prop-Jet Sales Corporation signed an innovative distribution agreement with Hartzog Aviation out of Rockford, Illinois. After his first flight in the prototype King Air 200, Coleman knew Beech had a winner. Without a single customer order, he borrowed as much money as he could, and purchased all the King Air 200’s Beech was willing to sell to him. The gamble paid off, he cornered the market on the type, and Coleman became one of the highest grossing distributors in the history of Beech Aircraft at that time.
1977
1977
Coleman Prop-Jet Sales began selling King Air “shares”, expanding the number of first time aircraft owners. To accommodate this rapidly growing fleet, Coleman added an FAA Aircraft Operating Certificate (AOC) and built an operations, maintenance and hangar complex in Rockford, Illinois, USA. Pictured Wally Schirra - US Astronaut
1978
1978
The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 provided the perfect opportunity for Phil Coleman to put his large fleet of King Air’s to use.. However, most state Aeronautics Boards also regulated air service, making it difficult for the law to be fully enacted. Within days of passage, Coleman announced he would be initiating service within the state of Illinois, that the Illinois Aeronautics Board (“IAB”) had no authority to regulate routes. After his first scheduled flight departed Rockford, the IAB tried to block Coleman from flying. A lawsuit ensued, Coleman vigorously defended himself and won his case. This precedent allowed airlines in other states, such as Southwest Airlines in Texas, to grow without state interference.
1979
1979
In 1979, Coleman’s planned expansion to include the introduction of new DC-9 aircraft were on track. Coleman was the first new entrant to be awarded slots at New York’s Laguardia Airport with service from Milwaukee’s Mitchell Field. But tragedy struck. 273 lives were lost when an American Airlines DC-10 crashed on takeoff in Chicago. It was the biggest crash in US history., The plane was maintained in Chicago so the FAA office in Chicago was blamed. All applications to that office, including those Coleman Air Transport had made a year earlier, were denied.
1980
1980
Coleman Air Transport lead the way in breaking up the control that state aviation boards had over intrastate air service. It was also one of the first to use the “hub and spoke” model as is its primary method of scheduling flights. Even though it had received DOT Section 380 Economic Approval to conduct flight operations with more than 30 passengers, its DC-9’s remained grounded. By the end of 1980, Coleman Air Transport ceased service.
1985
1985
Coleman purchased Aerodyne, an FBO that had been serving Milwaukee’s Mitchell Field since 1927. Strategic investments in hydrant fueling capabilities, increased the value of the FBO, such that Coleman sold the FBO to Page Avjet/Signature Flight Support for a profit.
1986
1986
Dave Coleman was still in his mothers womb, when he began flying in airplanes. By the time he was 5 years old, well before he could see over an instrument panel, he was beside his father in the cockpit of King Air’s. By the age of 12 he was attending summer flying camp in Upstate New York. His first solo flight was well before he was licensed to drive a car, and he rapidly earned his ratings as soon as he was legally able to do so.
1989
1989
Coleman attended the first international airshow held in China and noticed a small trainer built by PZL Aircraft of Poland. With modifications could be transformed into a six-seat turboprop business aircraft. In 1989, while Polands first free election was underway Dave and Phil Coleman flew the prototype that they had been working on the previous few years. It was the PZL Orlik 130TC. Coleman partnered with Lear Astronics, and entered the aircraft into the US JPATS Trainer Competition. The Pilatus/Beech T-6 Texan II was the eventual winner, but plans continued to design a six-passenger version similar to the TBM-700.
1993
1993
As the partnership between Coleman and PZL continued, at the age of 18, Dave Coleman was handed the first of many complex projects. How to westernize, certify, import and sell a Polish built training aircraft. Coleman selected new vendors, interfaced with the FAA Certification Office, helped write manuals, assisted with modifications, and then had the job of selling the aircraft to flight schools and individuals all across the US and Canada.
1995
1995
Beginning in 1994, Coleman Aircraft saw an opportunity to form a private equity group to finance, acquire, refurbish, and lease commercial aircraft to start up airlines in the US. The company was called Interlease Aviation Corporation, and Dave Coleman joined the firm as technical representative and manager, conducting aircraft evaluations and managing aircraft during heavy maintenance at facilities all over the world.
1996
1996
As the pace and volume of acquisition and lease transactions increased, Dave Coleman saw an opportunity to save costs in hiring ferry pilots and to simultaneously acquire heavy-jet experience. At the age of 22, Dave Coleman added the Boeing B737 type rating to his commercial pilot certificate. He was (and still may be) the youngest and only civilian pilot to earn an unrestricted B737 type rating, without meeting FAA prerequisites prior to training.
1998
1998
By the late 1990’s market forces pushed Interlease Aviation to place some of its aircraft into service under FAR 121 Supplemental rules. Coleman formed Interlease Marketing and Management Services to manage, maintain, and market, a fleet of Lockheed L1011 aircraft for charter service. The global deployment of these assets required round the clock management and the ability to be exceedingly resourceful. Dave Coleman took the initiative and rapidly moved up the ranks to become Vice President of Technical Services, overseeing the most difficult and technically challenging aspects of operation.
2012
2012
After the aircraft leasing and charter business was wound down, Dave Coleman took a ten-year hiatus from managing and running a business. He flew as a Professional Pilot for five of those years, and the other five he worked for the nations premier Aircraft Fuel and FBO support companies. Towards the end of that period, Dave Coleman was invited to work with a start-up aircraft sales organization to re-establish the market for an innovative aircraft that had been out of production for several years. During the time he was selling aircraft, Dave Coleman accounted for 50% of all aircraft transactions performed by the entire sales organization.
2017
2017
In 2017, Dave Coleman was recruited by Duncan Aviation to help grow the aircraft sales department. Duncan Aviation is considered the “Gold Standard” in Business Aviation MRO’s, and Dave Coleman leveraged that connection to become recognized has an industry expert. Not only did he take the opportunity to educate and promote the industry, he also conducted a large bulk of the companies transactions. He also purchased aircraft for refurbishment and resale, something that the company had not actively pursued for many years.
2021
2021
In 2021, Coleman Jet Solutions returns to the market with a mission and purpose. It is a means in which we can focus our efforts so that our clients have the information they need to receive the most ideal solution. The foundation of this business was first laid over thirty years ago. That foundation was laid upon a bedrock of knowledge formed over sixty years ago. The layers upon layers of experience on top of that, and granular knowledge of the industry are the reasons our commercial instincts are so refined. It is the reason Coleman Jet Solutions can create transactions that others cannot see, and therefore cannot offer.
Associations
Let's Connect
+1.847.748.8333
Location
559 Roger Williams, Suite #2
Highland Park, Illinois 60035
info@colemanjets.com