Edward J Wegel is the Founder and Managing Partner of Avi8 Air Capital LLC. Mr. Wegel is a seasoned airline executive with almost 40 years of broad experience in airline and aircraft senior management, financing and operations. Mr. Wegel has served as a board member of public and private airlines, including Atlantic Coast Airlines, BWIA International Airlines and Eastern Air Lines. He served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Crossing Airlines Group, Inc. which he founded in 2019, and oversaw the certification, initial public offering and launch and managed the growth to 15 Airbus A320 family aircraft. He brought the A321 freighter to the Americas, and led the GlobalX certification with the Dept. of Defense, the IOSA certification with IATA, and the Third Country Operator authorization with EASA.
Wegel co-led the development and launch of a $2 billion commercial aircraft leasing platform for a major Wall Street investment bank, and also was a co-sponsor/ advisor for the acquisition of the Pan Am Flight Academy.
Other accomplishments include developing new enterprises and businesses which include the initial business plan for JetBlue Airways where he focused on the Airbus A320 aircraft and selected John F. Kennedy airport as the base of operations; created Republic Airways with an industry-leading order for 80 EMB 145 aircraft; oversaw the acquisition of Chautauqua Airlines (where he served as CEO); and conceived and led the privatization and financing of BWIA International Airways, Trinidad, operating 20 L1011 and MD-80 aircraft and serving as National Airline for Trinidad, Guyana, St. Lucia, and Barbados, among and other island nations. As CEO, in 1995, Mr. Wegel achieved BWIA’s first ever profit in 57 years (BWIA International Airways now operates as Caribbean Airlines). He co-founded Atlantic Coast Airlines / United Express in 1990, one of the first United Airlines regional airlines. Mr. Wegel served as head of finance and as a board member for Atlantic Coast Airlines, leading the financing for operations and aircraft finance.
Mr. Wegel served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and received an MBA with honors from the University of Colorado after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point.