Heritage - Coleman Jet Solutions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.