Talaria Jet, the new identity of 50-year-old Ohio charter operator Stark Airways, is building a multi-hub fractional, management and charter platform under president Will Harton, who was appointed earlier this year.
Stark Airways has launched its new identity Talaria Jet, marking a new chapter for the Midwest-based private aviation company and reflecting its broader vision for growth across fractional ownership, aircraft management and charter.
Built on five decades of aviation experience and an established culture of safety and service, Talaria Jet is creating a relationship-driven private aviation platform designed to combine the capabilities and operating discipline of a sophisticated aviation organisation with the personal service and accountability of a boutique operator.
The company is expanding its aircraft management and charter operations while developing a regional, hub-based fractional ownership programme for customers seeking a more personal and flexible alternative to traditional national fractional programmes. The multi-aircraft platform is being designed to accommodate a broad range of owner missions while maintaining Talaria's emphasis on personalised service and direct relationships.
“Talaria is an evolution of what this team has built over the past 50 years,” says Will Harton, president of Talaria Jet. “We have an opportunity to create a different kind of private aviation company; one with the capabilities, safety culture and operating discipline clients expect from a sophisticated organisation, while also preserving genuine relationships and direct accountability to the customer.”
Talaria is initially concentrating its growth in the US Midwest and Southeast, where the company has existing aviation infrastructure, established customer relationships and a growing network of business partners. The company is also evaluating additional hubs across the eastern United States as it builds a regional network to provide customers with greater aircraft access and operational flexibility.
The Talaria name reflects the company's forward-looking vision while maintaining the principles that have defined the organisation for decades. In Greek mythology, talaria were the winged sandals associated with speed and effortless movement, aligning with the company's mission to make private aviation more seamless, responsive and personal.
Additional details regarding Talaria's fractional ownership programme, fleet strategy and future operating hubs will be announced as aircraft are added to the platform and the company continues its expansion.
Stark Airways traces its origins to the 1970s, when it operated as a corporate flight department under the name Executive Aircraft Services at Akron-Canton airport. The current charter fleet, all based at Acron-Canton, comprises four Dassault Falcon 2000s and a Pilatus PC-12/47E NG. A Hawker 800XPi that Stark had operated since 2021 was retired in December 2024.
Harton continues: “We will be selling one-eighth shares of each aircraft which equates to 100 hours of utilisation. In addition to our current hubs serving Cleveland and Atlanta, we have several additional hubs identified which include Charleston, SC, Columbus, OH, and Nashville, TN and would expect those to come online in the next two to three years.
“We are currently finalising our Part 91k program, but the expectation is it will operate under our current AOC. The Falcon 2000's are actually managed aircraft for our existing operation. We intend to build the fractional programme around several categories of aircraft including PC-12, PC-24, Citation 680 (Sovereign and Latitude) and a large cabin Gulfstream product.
“Given my experience building general aviation services platforms (Landmark Aviation and Hawthorne Global Aviation Services), my mandate is to create a similar, ‘tip to tail’ general aviation company that can provide a full spectrum of services including charter, aircraft management, fractional options, Part 145 maintenance and operating facilities. Stark Airways will remain the certificate holder, with all operations under the Talaria brand.”
