LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 21, 2026--
flyExclusive, Inc. (NYSE American: FLYX), one of the nation's largest private jet operators, today announced that Fly Alliance has agreed to replace its existing flight management system across its entire operation with Contrails FMS, flyExclusive's free, AI-powered aviation operating platform.
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The announcement, made at NBAA-BACE 2026, represents a significant milestone for Contrails FMS and introduces a new approach to aviation technology: providing operators with advanced flight management software at no cost while creating opportunities for operators to do more business together.
Why Free? Because the Opportunity Is Bigger Than Software.
Private aviation remains highly fragmented. Operators manage their own fleets and schedules independently, often leaving aircraft underutilized, repositioning opportunities unrealized, and customer demand unfulfilled.
flyExclusive believes connecting operators through shared aircraft availability can change that.
Contrails FMS is designed to allow participating operators and brokers to access authorized, real-time aircraft availability across participating fleets, making it easier to book flights on one another's aircraft. Its patent-pending scheduling optimizer is designed to reduce empty legs, improve utilization, increase yields, and generate additional revenue.
The goal is simple: flyExclusive wants to book more flights on other operators' aircraft and wants those operators booking more flights on flyExclusive aircraft.
Just as importantly, operators retain ownership and control of their data. Contrails FMS is designed with tenant isolation and controlled information sharing. Customer identities, customer relationships, proprietary pricing, and commercially sensitive information are not required to participate.
flyExclusive intends to share the same aircraft scheduling and availability information it asks participating operators to share.
"We know what every operator is thinking: What's the catch?" said Jim Segrave, Founder, Chairman and CEO of flyExclusive. "There isn't one. We don't want your customers or your proprietary information. We want to know when your airplanes are available so we can book flights on them, and we want you to know when ours are available so you can book flights on ours. We'll share the same information we're asking you to share. We believe there's far more value in helping everyone fly more trips than in charging operators for software. It's that simple."
Fly Alliance Commits to Company-Wide Migration
Fly Alliance, an established private aviation operator with more than 100,000 flight hours and 50,000 dispatched legs, has agreed to replace its existing flight management system across its entire operation.
The company provides charter, aircraft management, jet cards, fractional ownership, and aircraft sales and acquisitions. Its commitment represents a full operational transition rather than a limited pilot or supplemental deployment.
“For operators like Fly Alliance, the real opportunity isn't just reducing software costs. It's improving aircraft utilization, eliminating unnecessary inefficiencies, and creating more opportunities to generate revenue," said Chris Tasca, CEO of FlyAlliance. "Contrails brings those priorities together in one platform. By connecting operators and making aircraft availability more accessible, we believe there's an opportunity to make the entire charter ecosystem more productive. That's a compelling reason for us to make this transition across our business.”
The agreement follows flyExclusive's March 2026 announcement that it would make its flight management and scheduling optimization technology available to other Part 135 operators without licensing fees.
AI-Powered Technology Built by Operators
Contrails FMS combines aircraft scheduling, crew compliance, dispatch, maintenance visibility, disruption recovery, fleet optimization, and AI-assisted workflows in one operating platform.
Developed from technology used in flyExclusive's own operations and intellectual property acquired from Volato Group, including Mission Control, Contrails FMS is designed to automate workflows, assist operational decisions, and optimize aircraft schedules.
Unlike traditional flight management systems built primarily to store and organize information, Contrails FMS uses AI and automation to help operators perform more of the work.
"Adding AI to a twenty-year-old software business model doesn't change the business model," Segrave said. "We're challenging both. Operators should have better technology, fewer manual processes, lower costs, and the ability to generate more revenue."
Challenging the Traditional Aviation Software Model
For decades, aviation operators have paid recurring licensing fees, per-user charges, and additional costs for software integrations and functionality.
Contrails FMS is being offered without software licensing fees, per-seat charges, or feature gates.
flyExclusive believes the economic opportunity from connecting participating operators, improving aircraft utilization, and capturing additional charter demand is substantially greater than the revenue available from selling software subscriptions.
At NBAA-BACE 2026, flyExclusive is inviting operators to reconsider both what they pay for flight management technology and what that technology should deliver.
"Your next FMS bill should be your last."
Learn more at www.contrailsfms.com.
About flyExclusive
flyExclusive (NYSE American: FLYX) is a FAA-certificated private aviation company providing charter, Jet Club membership, and fractional ownership services worldwide. The company operates a combined total of approximately 80 jets, ranging from light to large cabin sizes, with full operational control over maintenance, refurbishment, and avionics through its in-house MRO facilities at its headquarters in Kinston, North Carolina. Learn more at www.flyexclusive.com.
Fly Alliance to Replace Entire Flight Management System with flyExclusive’s AI-Powered Contrails FMS Announced at NBAA-BACE 2026, the company-wide transition marks a major milestone in flyExclusive's plan to connect independent operators, improve aircraft utilization, and create new revenue opportunities across private aviation.
ROME (AP) — Manchester United is hardly putting up a fight in the Champions League these days.
Michael Carrick’s struggling team was beaten 4-1 at competition newcomer Como on Wednesday and United has now been outscored 6-1 in its last two European matches.
Nico Paz scored twice and also set up another score for Cesc Fabregas’ Como, which was playing in the fourth division of Italian soccer just seven years ago.
“We got outplayed for most of the game so it was a very disappointing night," United midfielder Youri Tielemans said. "It’s everything. You can be good tactically but if the effort is not good (then it won't work) and vice versa. You need to be good at everything and tonight we were poor. It comes down to that.”
United was already in turmoil, with defender Lisandro Martinez last week calling out the club’s hierarchy over its offseason recruitment, with director of football Jason Wilcox the apparent target of his criticism.
In January, Ruben Amorim had a fallout with Wilcox which swiftly led to the manager being fired after just 14 months in the job.
Now Carrick appears at risk.
In the other early game, Galatasaray won 4-2 at Lille with Victor Osimhen scoring against one of his former clubs.
Paz has been auditioning to take over Lionel Messi’s playmaker spot with Argentina and his performance against United was a case in point.
At the tiny 10,000-seat Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium, Paz put Como ahead two minutes in with a curling shot from the edge of the area when Harry Maguire allowed him some space.
United became the first English team to concede in the opening two minutes of consecutive major European matches after Pablo Barrios scored in the opening minute of Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 win last week.
Tasos Douvikas then took a pass from Paz before lobbing in over goalkeeper Senne Lammens for his third goal in three Champions League matches.
For Como’s third, Paz went in virtually uncontested before shooting around Lammens. Center back Jacobo Ramon scored Como's fourth.
Joshua Zirkzee pulled one back for United in the stoppage time.
United has won only one of its last 11 Champions League away matches.
Como moved up to sixth in the standings, while United dropped to 20th.
In France, 19-year-old Soriba Diaoune scored twice for Lille in the first half but it was 2-2 at the break before an own goal and a strike from Osimhen put Galatasaray in control.
It was Galatasaray’s first win of this season’s competition, while Lille has now lost all three of its matches.
In the late games, six-time winner Bayern Munich plays last season’s runner-up Arsenal and Real Madrid warms up for this weekend’s clasico by facing Leipzig.
Also, Italian champion Inter Milan meets Shakhtar Donetsk at the San Siro still seeking its first points in this year’s competition.
The match in Munich pits one of Europe’s most devastating attacking units against the most well-organized defense on the continent.
Bayern, which has four points from a possible six in the Champions League so far, is coming off a 6-1 win over Leipzig in the Bundesliga that makes it 36 goals in 10 games this season.
Arsenal has yet to concede a goal after back-to-back wins in Europe and is tied for the best defensive record in the Premier League with five goals conceded in seven games of its title defense.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany has a viral infection and is doubtful to attend the game. Midfielder Joshua Kimmich has been ruled out for personal reasons following a death in his family, Bayern said Wednesday.
José Mourinho’s Real Madrid is involved in an ongoing battle with the Spanish league over alleged refereeing controversies and will want a more straightforward match after needing three goals in the final 10 minutes to beat Roma last week.
Madrid visits Spanish league leader Barcelona on Sunday.
Also Wednesday, it's: Real Betis vs. Feyenoord; Club Brugge vs. Lens; Aston Villa vs. Viking; and Sporting Lisbon vs. LASK.
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
Manchester United's Mason Mount gestures after Como scored the second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick gestures as he leaves the pitch after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick stands near the bench before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Como's Nico Paz, left, challenges for the ball with Manchester United's Mason Mount during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Manchester United's Mason Mount gestures after Como scored the second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Como's Jacobo Ramon celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Manchester United's Mason Mount is dejected after Como scored their fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho sits on the bench before the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Sevilla in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya attends a press conference in Munich, Tuesday Oct. 20, 2026, a day ahead of the Champions League soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Arsenal on Wednesday. (Angelika Warmuth/dpa via AP)
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta attends a press conference in Munich, Tuesday Oct. 20, 2026, a day ahead of the Champions League soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Arsenal on Wednesday. (Angelika Warmuth/dpa via AP)
Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres, right, attend a training session in London Colney, England, Tuesday Oct. 20, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Bayern Munich's Harry Kane attends a training session ahead of the Champions League, opening phase soccer match against Arsenal, in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (Angelika Warmuth/dpa via AP)
