News Baldwin Joins The Portside Group

Portside Acquires Baldwin Safety & Compliance to Further Enhance Global Aviation Operating System

Adds essential capabilities to growing platform for the aviation industry

SAN FRANCISCO – Portside, a leading innovator in technology and software solutions for business and government aviation, today announced it has acquired Baldwin Safety & Compliance. This strategic move is aimed at augmenting Portside’s comprehensive suite of tools and technology that empower nearly 1,000 aviation organizations in more than 30 countries.

Baldwin, established in 2004, specializes in designing and implementing robust safety management systems (SMS) for operations of all scales. They also offer vital business capabilities to sustain, extend, and provide steadfast support for these systems.

“Safety is the foremost concern for any aviation provider, and Baldwin is an undisputed leader in this space. They excel not only in terms of delivering safety and compliance programs that adhere to the highest industry standards, but also in tailoring and supporting these programs to meet the ever-evolving needs of their clients,” said Portside CEO, Alek Vernitsky. “This acquisition enhances Portside’s capabilities, aligning with our mission to be a comprehensive, turn-key solution for business and government aviation. It demonstrates our unwavering commitment to growing our platform alongside the businesses we serve.”

Baldwin’s SMS expertise extends to various transportation operations including FBOs, MRO groups, commercial providers, UAS, airports, and air medical transport operations. They also offer services such as Risk Management, Document Management, Gap Analysis, Quality Management System, and various other business-related solutions to further bolster their clientele. Baldwin’s products, coupled with their in-house subject matter experts, are instrumental in keeping operators compliant with industry SMS regulations and readying organizations for impending regulations, such as those proposed in FAA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) 88 FR 1932, which will mandate SMS for commuter and on-demand operations, commercial air tour operators, and certain holders under Part 21.

Don Baldwin, the Founder of Baldwin, shared his perspective on this acquisition, saying, “We founded Baldwin with the belief that small operators should have access to the same tools and capabilities enjoyed by larger providers when fostering a culture of safety. Today, our products are trusted by operators, both big and small, with the most critical and fundamental aspects of their businesses. Portside shares our commitment to customer service, and we eagerly anticipate becoming a part of their team as we continue to uphold our leading role in safety and compliance.”

The entire Baldwin team will join Portside to ensure ongoing development and support for their products and services. While the specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed, this move aligns with Portside’s recent pattern of enhancements and integrations for its platform. In July, the company acquired licensing and development rights for the Avianis flight management system. Earlier this year, Portside acquired Stellar Lab’s flight operations system hosting business and the BART scheduling product suite.

The transaction was facilitated by Brian Foley of AVStrategies, who has matched investors with great aviation companies since 2006. “This is a perfect example of combining a top-notch transportation specialist with a respected aviation technology platform to provide mutual value and chemistry,” said Brian Foley, Founder.

About Portside: Portside, Inc. is a premier provider of modern software solutions for the business aviation industry. Portside’s cloud-based operating system for business and government aviation is designed to support all aspects of flight operations, including scheduling and recordkeeping (Avianis, BART and PFM product lines), fleet and crew optimization (Portside Optimizer), data sharing, reporting and analytics (Portside Owner Portal / Budget & Planning Dashboard), customer billing (ExpensePulse), crew recruiting (Staffing Marketplace), and crew and passenger travel accommodations (Portside Services). Portside supports over 1,000 operators of business jets, helicopters, medevac, industrial and government fleets, as well as fractional ownership programs, in over 30 countries. For more information, contact us at sales@portside.aero or visit www.portside.aero.

About Baldwin: Since 2004, Baldwin Safety & Compliance, an award-winning visionary in safety, has supported global transportation, manufacturing, and other industry organizations by crafting scalable and intuitive safety systems and related business support and training products designed specifically for their operations to encourage engaged safety cultures. Available 24/7, Baldwin’s team of experienced and credentialed safety management experts supports all facets of an organization’s safety and quality programs while conforming to international and State standards and regulatory requirements. Visit www.BaldwinSMS.com

About AvStrategies: AvStrategies LLC, based in the New York metro area, specializes in bringing together smaller, often-family owned, aviation businesses with industry investors. Brian Foley, who founded AvStrategies and affiliate Brian Foley Associates in 2006, has deep contacts throughout the industry as an independent market analyst and former executive at Boeing, Dassault Falcon Jet and a Wall Street financial firm.

Latest news

News Portside's Avianis and Staffing Marketplace
Jun 24, 2025

Portside’s Avianis Simplifies Business Aviation Staffing with New Integration

SAN FRANCISCO, June 24, 2025 – Avianis, a leading flight management system by Portside, today announced its integration with Jet Aviation Staffing Marketplace to streamline staffing for business aviation operators. The integration gives Avianis users direct access to Jet Aviation Staffing Marketplace’s comprehensive database of business aviation professionals.

Avianis users can now connect to Jet Aviation Staffing Marketplace to create job postings directly from their Avianis profile. The integration offers direct access to Jet Aviation Staffing Marketplace’s centralized recruitment platform enabling users to manage hiring needs without leaving their Avianis profile.

“This partnership with Jet Aviation Staffing reflects our mission to revolutionize business aviation by driving simplicity,” said Alek Vernitsky, CEO of Portside. “Jet Aviation Staffing Marketplace gives operators a smarter, simpler way to source talent and stay mission-ready. It’s a meaningful step toward digitizing the industry, reducing silos, and putting operators back in control of their workforce.”

Almost every aspect of the recruitment process, including candidate search, application review, and tracking, is integrated into a single digital system for more informed decision-making while minimizing administrative load, eliminating manual data entry and toggling between systems, and streamlining crew management end-to-end. As trip or staffing updates occur, data syncs automatically across both systems.

By removing silos and automating critical workflows, Avianis and Jet Aviation Staffing Marketplace help operators stay agile, elevate service delivery, and adapt to the growing complexity of business aviation.

To request a demo or learn more about Avianis or Jet Aviation Staffing Marketplace, contact sales@portside.co or visit www.portside.co.

About Portside, Inc. Portside is a leading provider of cutting-edge software solutions for the global aviation industry, serving over 1,500 customers operating 14,000+ aircraft across 40+ countries. The modular platform supports business aviation, regional airlines, and aircraft leasing companies with tools for operations, compliance, crew management, finance, and more. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Portside is dedicated to driving innovation and operational efficiency in aviation. To learn more, visit www.portside.co.

Media Contact

Lynn Moore
843-342-3921
media@portside.co

News Portside Launches Horizon
Feb 24, 2025

Portside Launches Horizon: The Ultimate Cloud-Based Solution for Business Aviation Management

Portside Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based solutions for business aviation, is proud to announce the launch of Horizon, a groundbreaking software designed to meet the needs of larger, more complex flight departments, fractional ownership programs, and jet card operators. Built with flexibility and scalability in mind, Horizon is a fully cloud-based, modular platform that empowers operators with advanced reporting, seamless third-party integrations, and powerful API capabilities.

Horizon streamlines aviation management by offering a highly configurable system that eliminates the need to navigate multiple platforms, providing a unified interface where critical operational, financial, and compliance data are easily accessible. The software is backed by industry experts and features Microsoft Power BI reporting, real-time wind data, and built-in crew training tracking with automated compliance alerts. Optimized for remote workforces, Horizon ensures seamless access to critical information anytime, anywhere, while incorporating advanced security and compliance standards to safeguard sensitive data.

As part of the Portside Platform, Horizon integrates effortlessly with existing aviation solutions, allowing operators to enhance their workflow without disruption. Having been deployed by one of the largest operators in the United States, Horizon is a proven, enterprise-grade solution that sets a new standard for efficiency, visibility, and control in business aviation.

“Horizon is a direct response to the growing need for a more flexible, powerful, and user-friendly software solution in the business aviation space,” said Alek Verntisky, CEO at Portside Inc. “We designed this platform to address the challenges faced by complex flight departments and operators who require scalability, automation, and real-time insights to optimize their operations.”

Horizon is now available to operators worldwide. To learn more about how Horizon can transform your aviation operations, visit www.Portside.co.

About Portside: Portside is a leading provider of cutting-edge software solutions for the global aviation industry, serving business aviation, regional commercial airlines, and aircraft leasing & finance. With a team of 300 professionals across 20 countries, Portside supports over 1,000 enterprise customers, including 70 regional passenger and cargo airlines, worldwide. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Portside is dedicated to driving innovation and operational efficiency in aviation.

News Portside Acquires Takeflite
Jul 24, 2024

Portside Acquires Takeflite To Bring a Comprehensive Operational Platform to Both Commercial and Business Airlines

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, July 24, 2024 -- Portside, a leading innovator in software solutions for business and government aviation, has acquired Takeflite, a leading provider of cloud-based solutions for commercial and cargo airlines. This strategic addition strengthens Portside’s comprehensive suite of aviation software solutions.

Takeflite offers a full set of solutions for scheduled, cargo, charter, corporate and humanitarian operators to allow airlines to manage their complex and highly dynamic operations across all areas of the organization. The platform provides all necessary functions from pricing, internet bookings, charter quotes, and cargo, through to operations, dispatch, crew and aircraft management, along with financial management and comprehensive reporting and data analysis.

“When airlines and other aviation operators are seeking to streamline operations, it is essential for them to have a single system of record that provides visibility into their customers, operations and profitability,” said Alek Vernitsky, Portside CEO. “Takeflite is a leading provider of technology solutions to cargo and commercial airlines, and we are excited to have them in the Portside family.”

Jason Hopkins, founder and CEO of Takeflite commented, “We have been providing enterprise grade aviation solutions since 2005. We’re proud of our long track record of helping our customers with a wide variety of airline operations. We are enormously excited to bring our skills and expertise to create value for not only Portside and Takeflite customers, but also to extend our unified platform to the broader aviation market.”

Takeflite was advised by Traction Advising. “Takeflite's mission critical software is a fantastic business built by great people. The combination with Portside’s platform makes great strategic sense and is good for their customers, employees and investors." Lowell Ricklefs, Founder Traction Advising

About Takeflite: Founded in 2005, over 60 aviation companies around the world depend on Takeflite for planning, pricing, distribution, reservations, departure control, operations, crew scheduling, safety, cargo, and maintenance management. Headquartered in Auckland, NZ and with team members in the U.S., U.K., and Kenya, we are a passionate team of engineers and aviation experts constantly scanning the digital world for insights and solutions that can be applied to aviation to increase your revenue and efficiency. For more information, visit www.tflite.com.

About Portside: Portside, Inc. is a premier provider of modern software solutions for the aviation industry. Portside’s cloud-based suite of products is designed to support all aspects of flight operations, including scheduling and record keeping (Avianis, BART and PFM product lines), safety management (Baldwin), fleet and crew optimization (Portside Optimizer), data sharing, reporting and analytics (Portside Owner Portal / Budget & Planning Dashboard), crew recruiting (Staffing Marketplace), and trip planning (Portside Trip Assist). Portside supports over 1,000 customers in 40+ countries, including commercial and cargo airlines, operators of business aircraft and helicopters, medevac, industrial and government fleets, as well as fractional ownership programs. For more information, visit www.portside.aero.