{{Short description|American on-demand jet taxi service}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use American English|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox airline | airline = DayJet Corporation | logo = dayjet.jpg | logo_size = 150px | fleet_size = | destinations = | IATA = - | ICAO = DJS | callsign = DAYJET | parent = | company_slogan = | founded = {{Start date and age|2002|01}} | ceased = {{End date and age|2008|09|19|br=y}} | headquarters = Boca Raton, Florida (2007-2008) Delray Beach, Florida (until 2007) | key_people = Ed Iacobucci, founder Nancy Lee Iacobucci, founder | hubs = DayBases: Boca Raton, Gainesville | secondary_hubs =Lakeland, Tallahassee, Saint Petersburg/Clearwater PIE, Orlando Executive Airport, Pensacola, Naples, Sarasota/Bradenton, Jacksonville, Savannah, Opa-locka/Miami-Dade County, Montgomery, Macon<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dayjet.com/DayPorts/ServiceRegionNow.aspx |title=DayPorts |publisher=DayJet Corporation }}</ref> | focus_cities = Jacksonville, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Orlando, Lakeland, Macon, Miami/Opa-locka, Montgomery, Naples, Pensacola, Sarasota, Savannah, Tallahassee | frequent_flyer = | lounge = | alliance = | subsidiaries = DayJet Technologies, LLC | website = [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.dayjet.com/ www.dayjet.com archives] }} [[File:DayJet - Air Taxi Service - Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet (545248173).jpg|right|thumb|DayJet Eclipse 500]] '''DayJet''' was an American commercial aviation operation that provided on-demand jet travel using Eclipse 500 very light jets. Founded by Ed Iacobucci, the former leader of the IBM-Microsoft Joint OS/2 development team IBM executive and the founder of Citrix Systems, and his wife, network architect Nancy Lee Iacobucci,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/business/19road.html|title=Test Driving an Air Taxi: Quiet, Quick but Not Cheap|date=19 June 2007|website=The New York Times|accessdate=19 May 2017}}</ref> DayJet launched in October 2007. It was based in Delray Beach, Florida.
Described by its founders as an on-demand jet taxi service, DayJet raised $61 million<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tatge|first1=Mark|title=A Bus in the Clouds|url=https://www.forbes.com/home/free_forbes/2007/0813/100.html|accessdate=19 May 2017 |work=Forbes|date=13 August 2007}}{{dead link|date=January 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> in venture funding, entered into a five-year agreement with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nusca|first1=Andrew|title=Ed Iacobucci, co-founder of Citrix, dies of cancer|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/ed-iacobucci-co-founder-of-citrix-dies-of-cancer/|access-date=20 May 2017|publisher=ZDnet|date=June 21, 2013}}</ref> and purchased 28 Eclipse 500 jets (4- and 6-seaters) at the cost of $1.5 million each<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lindsay|first1=Greg|title=Flight Plan|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/59429/flight-plan|accessdate=19 May 2017|publisher=Fast Company}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite book|last1=Garrett|first1=Mark|title=Encyclopedia of Transportation: Social Science and Policy|date=13 August 2014|publisher=SAGE Publications |isbn=9781483389806|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0p-kBQAAQBAJ&q=Dayjet+2008+financial+crisis&pg=PT137}}</ref> before suspending operations on September 19, 2008, during the height of the 2008 financial crisis.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dayjet.com/News/PressReleases/NationalServiceLaunch_10012007.pdf |title=DayJet Takes Off |work=Press Release |publisher=DayJet Corporation |date=2007-10-03 |accessdate=2007-04-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823181116/http://www.dayjet.com/News/PressReleases/NationalServiceLaunch_10012007.pdf |archive-date=August 23, 2011 }}</ref><ref name="DayJet18Sep08">{{cite web|url=http://www.dayjet.com/DayJetOperations_09192008.pdf |title=DayJet Discontinues Passenger Operations |accessdate=2009-02-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010065206/http://www.dayjet.com/DayJetOperations_09192008.pdf |archive-date=2008-10-10 }}</ref>
DayJet was Eclipse Aviation's largest customer with a planned eventual delivery of 1,400 aircraft representing a majority of the estimated 2,500 Eclipse 500s on order.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0p-kBQAAQBAJ&q=Dayjet+2008+financial+crisis&pg=PT137|title=Encyclopedia of Transportation: Social Science and Policy|first=Mark|last=Garrett|date=13 August 2014|publisher=SAGE Publications|isbn=9781483389806|accessdate=19 May 2017|via=Google Books}}</ref>
Its headquarters were in Delray Beach, Florida.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20060316055117/http://www.dayjet.com/ContactUs/ Contact Us]." DayJet. March 16, 2006. Retrieved on May 3, 2012. "1801 S. Federal Highway, Suite 100 Delray Beach, Florida 33483"</ref>
DayJet had 239 orders for the Eclipse 500, and was expected to place 70 more by 2010. The first delivery of three Eclipse 500 aircraft took place on March 31, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dayjet.com/News/PressReleases/EclipseAircraftDelivery_03312007.pdf |title=Eclipse Aviation Delivers Three Eclipse 500 VLJs to DayJet |work=Press Release |publisher=DayJet Corporation |date=2007-03-31 |accessdate=2007-04-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930010407/http://www.dayjet.com/News/PressReleases/EclipseAircraftDelivery_03312007.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==History== ===May 2008 financial problems=== On 6 May 2008, DayJet announced a scaling back of its operations and the laying off of 100–160 employees in all segments of the company. The company also sold or leased out 16 of the 28 Eclipse 500s it owned.<ref name="AvWeb06May08b">{{cite web |url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/BizAv_DayJet_CutsJets_CutsStaff_197799-1.html |title=DayJet Cuts Jets And Staff |work=AVweb.com |publisher=Aviation Publishing Group |last=Niles |first=Russ |date=2008-05-06 |accessdate=2008-05-08 }}</ref><ref name="AvWeb06May08a">{{cite web |url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/BizAv_DayJet_Layoffs_197792-1.html |title=DayJet Announces Layoffs |work=AVweb.com |publisher=Aviation Publishing Group |last=Niles |first=Russ |date=2008-05-06 |accessdate=2008-05-06 }}</ref>
DayJet founder and CEO Ed Iacobucci indicated that the company needed an investment of US$40M at that time to reach profitability, but that the economic climate did not permit the company to raise that amount. Iacobucci stated that the company had proven that the per seat time sensitive pricing air taxi operational concept is sound, but that the carrier's fleet needed to be quickly expanded to fifty aircraft to reach profitability.<ref name="AvWeb06May08b"/><ref name="AvWeb06May08a"/>
Despite cutting its fleet, the air carrier announced on 21 May 2008 that they were expanding their service by making two more destinations in Florida, Jacksonville and Sarasota, into hub airports DayJet designates as "DayPorts". In July 2008, both Saint Petersburg/Clearwater and Orlando, Florida were added as hub DayPorts.<ref name="AvWeb21May08">{{cite web |url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/DayJetExpandsOperationsInFlorida_197926-1.html |title=DayJet Expands Operations In Florida |last=Grady |first=Mary |work=AVweb.com |publisher=Aviation Publishing Group |date=2008-05-21 |accessdate=2008-05-22 }}</ref><ref name="BusinessWire">{{cite web |url=http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080709005827&newsLang=en |title=DayJet Fills Gaps in Regional Travel with 30 Percent Expansion of "Per-Seat, On-Demand" Service Network |work=Press Release |publisher=Business Wire |date=2008-07-09 |accessdate=2008-07-26 }}</ref>
===September 2008 suspension of operations=== The company announced the following news on 19 September 2008:
<blockquote>DayJet Services, LLC, the world’s first operator of “Per-Seat, On-Demand” jet service, today announced that it has ceased jet services, pending further notice. The company today eliminated most employee positions. With the discontinuation of jet services and cancellation of all flights, DayJet is unable to honor any customer reservations.<ref name="DayJet18Sep08" /> </blockquote>
The company indicated that given the current economic climate in the USA it is unlikely that flying operations will be resumed.<ref name="DayJetFAQ19Sep08">{{cite web|url=http://www.dayjet.com/FAQ_09192008.pdf |title=Frequently Asked Questions for Customers |accessdate=2008-09-19 |last=DayJet |date=September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010065224/http://www.dayjet.com/FAQ_09192008.pdf |archive-date=October 10, 2008 }}</ref>
The company also announced a change in management on 19 September 2008, stating:
<blockquote>Iacobucci has stepped down as DayJet President and CEO but continues to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors. John Staten has been named interim CEO with responsibility for managing the affairs of the company during the next phase of operations. Staten has served as DayJet CFO and Senior Vice President of Operations for the past six years.<ref name="DayJet18Sep08" /> </blockquote>
In November 2008, Iacobucci indicated that he was still attempting to raise capital to restart the company and that it would be a smaller, scaled back operation. He also stated at that time that there were a number of problems that caused the company to cease operations, but that the key issue was the 2008 financial crisis.<ref name="AINonline11Nov08">{{cite web|url = http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-news-page/article/iacobucci-credit-crisis-to-blame-for-dayjets-demise/|title = Iacobucci: Credit Crisis To Blame for DayJet's Demise|accessdate = 2008-11-13|last = Harrington|first = Jennifer|date = November 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090107165355/http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-news-page/article/iacobucci-credit-crisis-to-blame-for-dayjets-demise/|archive-date = 2009-01-07|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name="SFBJ11Nov08">{{cite web|url = http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/11/10/daily20.html|title = DayJet's Iacobucci speaks about company's troubles, future|accessdate = 2008-11-13|last = Frogameni|first = Bill|date=November 2008}}</ref>
In analyzing DayJet's situation Iacobucci said that problems with Eclipse had contributed, but that the Eclipse 500 was the best choice for DayJet when it was starting up due to its purchase price and projected maintenance costs. Using the Eclipse 500 also permitted DayJet to start with a single aircraft type for the whole fleet. Iacobucci indicated in November 2008 that he was still pursuing investors, but would not be committing more of his own money, having already invested US$20 million.<ref name="SFBJ11Nov08" />
Iacobucci did not place blame for the company's problems on the choice of the Eclipse 500, saying, "It’s not the flippin’ airplane".<ref name="AINonline11Nov08" />
===Sale of DayJet fleet=== Eclipse Aviation announced in October 2008 that they were acting as "the exclusive broker" for the sale of the existing 28 DayJet aircraft.<ref name="EclipseDayJet">{{cite web|url = http://www.eclipseaviation.com/specialSale/|title = Buy an Eclipse 500 Jet Now – Limited Availability|accessdate = 2008-10-21|last = Eclipse Aviation|date = n.d.|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081024122649/http://www.eclipseaviation.com/specialSale/|archive-date = 2008-10-24|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name="AvWeb21Oct08">{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/EclipseSellingOffDayJetFleet_199037-1.html|title = Eclipse Selling Off DayJet Fleet |accessdate = 2008-10-23|last = Niles|first = Russ|date=October 2008}}</ref>
Canadian light aircraft fractional aircraft company '''OurPlane''' bid on the entire DayJet fleet of aircraft, offering more than "$500,000 each but less than $1.5 million" each. OurPlane operated a fleet of Cirrus SR22 aircraft and one current Eclipse 500 until its bankruptcy in October 2010. OurPlane had planned to offer its customers one-quarter shares in the Eclipse 500s for less than US$449,000.<ref name="AIN23Oct09">{{cite web|url=http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-news-page/article/ourplane-makes-play-for-former-dayjet-eclipse-500s/ |title=OurPlane Makes Play for Former DayJet Eclipse 500s |accessdate=2008-10-24 |last=Trautvetter |first=Chad |date=October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030032825/http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-news-page/article/ourplane-makes-play-for-former-dayjet-eclipse-500s/ |archive-date=2008-10-30 }}</ref><ref name="OurPlane23Oct08">{{cite web|url = http://www.ourplane.com/management/news.asp|title = OurPLANE Bids For DayJet Fleet Service Targeted to Business |accessdate = 2008-12-10|last = OurPlane|date=October 2008}}</ref><ref name="AvWeb06Oct10">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/OurPLANE_Owners_Angry_203398-1.html|title = OurPLANE "Owners" Angry|accessdate = 7 October 2010|last = Niles|first = Russ|date=October 2010| work = AvWeb}}</ref>
OurPlane did not complete the purchase of the DayJet fleet and the aircraft became the property of Eclipse Aerospace, the new company that purchased the assets of Eclipse Aviation from Chapter 7 bankruptcy in August 2009. Eclipse Aerospace indicated that they intend to upgrade and sell the aircraft.<ref name="AvWeb21Aug09">{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast/AudioPodcast_MikePress_EclipseAerospace_201033-1.html?kw=AVwebAudio|title = A New Beginning for Another Eclipse?|accessdate = 2009-08-23|last = Grady|first = Mary|date = August 2009|archive-date = June 12, 2011|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110612024850/http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast/AudioPodcast_MikePress_EclipseAerospace_201033-1.html?kw=AVwebAudio|url-status = dead}}</ref>
==DayJet Technologies== At the time of DayJet's bankruptcy, a group of investors took control of DayJet Technologies, the technology subsidiary, and attempted to operate as a private technology company .<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aviationtoday.com/regions/usa/DayJet-Bankruptcy-A-Story-of-Brinksmanship_28208.html |title=DayJet Bankruptcy: A Story of Brinksmanship |publisher=Aviation Today |date=2008-12-08 |accessdate=2014-01-05 |archive-date=February 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210201140/http://www.aviationtoday.com/regions/usa/DayJet-Bankruptcy-A-Story-of-Brinksmanship_28208.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techflash.com/seattle/2008/11/VMware_CEO_Paul_Maritz_has_secret_plan_for_defunct_airlines_technology.html |title=VMware CEO Paul Maritz has secret plan for defunct airline's technology - Puget Sound Business Journal |publisher=Techflash.com |date=2008-11-05 |accessdate=2014-01-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dayjettech.com/about |title=The Optimal Path |publisher=Dayjettech.com |accessdate=2014-01-05}}</ref>
== See also == * List of defunct airlines of the United States
==References== {{reflist|30em}} {{refbegin}} *{{cite web |last=Fallows |first=James |date=May 2008 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200805/dayjet |title=Taxis in the Sky |work=The Atlantic Monthly}} {{refend}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.dayjet.com/ DayJet Corporation], official website archives
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dayjet}} Category:Defunct airlines of the United States Category:Companies based in Palm Beach County, Florida Category:Delray Beach, Florida Category:Airlines disestablished in 2008 Category:Companies that have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2008 Category:Defunct companies based in Florida