“Beauty attracts beauty.” The phrase chosen by Alberto Galassi, CEO of the Ferretti Group, one of the world’s leading luxury yacht builders, is not just an aesthetic observation. It is a strategic statement in a world where luxury increasingly tends to be integrated into cross-cutting experiences.
And it is the basis of the collaboration between Riva — the most prestigious brand in Italian boating, and perhaps in the world — and Flexjet, a global private aviation operator. Two closely related worlds — yachts and jets — are now merging in a joint project with an evocative and very Italian name: Riva Volare.
The concept is simple but powerful: to take Riva’s unmistakable nautical design to the skies
The concept is simple but powerful: to take Riva’s unmistakable nautical design to the skies, reinterpreting its aesthetic codes on board a Gulfstream G650 jet and two Sikorsky S-76 helicopters.
From the famous midnight blue to the ubiquitous mahogany colour, the result is a cabin where shiny woods, hand-stitched leather seats, nautical motifs and silk carpets recreate the refined atmosphere that made the Aquarama immortal, the legendary motorboat symbol of timeless elegance, from Brigitte Bardot to James Bond.
The change in habits and clientele that occurred in the world of luxury yachting and private aviation after the pandemic led almost naturally to this synergy. The change in habits and clientele that occurred in the world of luxury yachting and private aviation after the pandemic led almost naturally to this synergy.
The official announcement of the alliance dates back to May 2024, but its public presentation took place at the end of June, with two consecutive events: a press conference at Milan Prime Linate airport and, the following day, a grand exclusive evening on the shores of Lake Iseo, at the historic Riva shipyard in Sarnico, about 100 kilometres from Milan.
The shipyard presented its new boat models alongside its alliance with Flexjet
There, among international shipowners and Flexjet customers, loafers, linen suits, jewellery, champagne – or Franciacorta, given the location – music and an aerial acrobatics show, the birth of a new path of luxury was sealed, linking the blues of the sea and the sky, with a parade on the lake of the latest four models launched by the shipyard—the new Riva 58′ Capri, the electric Iseo Super, Riva Cento and Aquariva Special—and a flyover by the G650.
The collaboration is strategic because Flexjet and Riva not only share a potential clientele, made up mainly of high-net-worth travellers with a taste for extreme customisation, but also the same philosophy: the idea that true luxury today lies in invisible quality, discretion, intimate detail and integrated emotion.
‘I have been a great admirer of Riva’s style for years,’ said Kenn Ricci, born in Cleveland, USA, from a family of Italian origin, pilot and president of Flexjet. ‘And to see it reinterpreted on board our aircraft is simply extraordinary. It’s not just about aesthetics: design is an integral part of the flight experience we offer our customers.’
The Riva Volare line is part of Flexjet’s LXi Cabin Collection™, which offers custom-made boutique interiors. Every detail has been carefully designed: the leather seats are finished in Riva’s classic aquamarine colour; the glossy wood panelling evokes the decks of runabouts; the metal inserts and carpets recall the movement of water. The design, the result of months of development, was carried out between Italy and the United States, complying with the strict aeronautical regulations of the FAA and EASA.
‘We had to reinvent the use of wood,’ explained Ricci. “Private aviation normally avoids it for safety reasons. We steam-treated it, made it thinner and more flexible. Only then were we able to meet the standards without compromising the soul of Riva. Riva Volare,‘ he concluded, ’not only celebrates a timeless design icon, but is also a bold statement of where we are headed: redefining what it means to be a contemporary luxury brand.”
The crown jewel of the project is the Gulfstream G650, one of the most coveted long-range private jets on the market with a purchase price of $56 million. With a capacity for 12 to 15 passengers, it offers a flight range of between 14 and 16 hours, enough to connect New York with London, Tokyo or Singapore without stopping.
The cabin, divided into several areas, allows passengers to work, rest or dine in complete comfort, with a noise level of just 47 decibels and optimised pressure to reduce fatigue and jet lag. Alongside the jet, two Sikorsky S-76 helicopters, valued at around $9 million each, complete the Riva Volare line: one based in Florida and the other in Milan, operating in Italy and the French Riviera.
These “flying SUVs” can carry up to eight passengers and fly for approximately two and a half hours over more than 550 kilometres. Here too, the design evokes a nautical style, with padded seats, glossy woods and polished metal finishes. Each flight is operated by two IFR-certified pilots, in accordance with the highest safety standards.
These “flying SUVs” can carry up to eight passengers and fly for approximately two and a half hours.
‘Riva is an expression of elegance that brings class and identity to every project: at sea, on land (in the Riva Lounge spaces, as its exclusive areas are known), and now also in the sky,’ said Galassi, adding: ‘We are not content with just transporting people: we want to thrill them.’
And to do so with all the power of Italian manufacturing. In this sense, the name chosen for the project — Volare — evokes not only the action of flying, but also a cultural, aesthetic, almost cinematic dimension.
It is an implicit tribute to Italy in the 1960s, a golden age, optimistic and much longed for. A time when Marcello Mastroianni, Elizabeth Taylor and Aristotle Onassis sailed the Mediterranean aboard Riva boats. Today, that same spirit is taking off again, embracing the rarefied air of high altitudes. Beyond nostalgia, behind the collaboration is a precise commercial vision between two giants in their respective markets.
Ferretti Group, which controls Riva and six other brands, closed a record first quarter in 2025: orders worth 1.77 billion euros, revenues up 5% and net profit close to 24 million. The custom-built segment and superyachts already account for 73% of the order book. The company is present in more than 70 countries and manages seven shipyards in Italy. Flexjet, for its part, has been active since 1995 in the fractional ownership and personalised aviation sector. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, with a European division in London, the company is an industry leader with more than 320 aircraft in its fleet.
In Europe, it also operates its own helicopter service and is distinguished by its Red Label programme, which assigns fixed crews to each aircraft, guaranteeing exclusive interiors.
Until a few years ago, yachts and jets represented two parallel worlds, but today they are increasingly overlapping. The clientele is the same, but so is the vision: discreet mobility, functional beauty, protected environments. The alliance between Riva and Flexjet capitalises on this convergence, transforming a common gesture — travelling — into a complete aesthetic experience. Every Riva is born on a lake, and now its legend also lives in the skies.
