DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND GOING CONCERN | NOTE 1 - DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND GOING CONCERN PROOF Acquisition Corp I (the “Company”) was incorporated in Delaware on March 16, 2021. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (collectively, the “Business Combination”). The Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies. As of September 30, 2023, the Company had limited operations and no operating revenues. All activity for the period from March 16, 2021 (inception) through September 30, 2023 relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (“Initial Public Offering”), which is described below, and, since the closing of the Initial Public Offering, a search for a Business Combination candidate. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering. The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end. On August 1, 2023, the Company entered into a Business Combination Agreement (as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Business Combination Agreement”) with PACI Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), and Volato, Inc., a Georgia corporation (“Volato”). Pursuant to the terms of the Business Combination Agreement, a business combination between the Company and Volato will be effected through the merger of Merger Sub with and into Volato, with Volato surviving the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volato Group (the “Business Combination,” and together with the other transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement and the other agreements contemplated thereby, the “Transactions”). The Merger Consideration As consideration for the business combination, Volato shareholders collectively will be entitled to receive, in the aggregate, a number of shares of Class A Common Stock with an aggregate value equal to (x) $190,000,000, plus (y) the sum of the aggregate exercise prices of all vested Volato Options (as defined in the Business Combination Agreement) as of immediately prior to the effective time of the business combination (the “Effective Time”), plus (z) the aggregate amount of any Volato private equity financing of up to $60,000,000 (collectively, the “Private Financing”), if and to the extent consummated prior to closing under the Business Combination Agreement (the “Closing”) in accordance with the terms of the Business Combination Agreement. In connection with the Private Financing, on July 21, 2023, Volato entered into a Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement by and among (i) Volato, (ii) one or more co-investment vehicles managed by the investment advisor of PROOF.vc (“PROOF.vc SPV”) the PROOF.vc SPV, (iii) the Sponsor, and (iv) the holders of then-outstanding Series CN-001 and Series CN-0002 convertible promissory notes of Volato (the “Convertible Notes”), whereby Volato issued $10,000,000 of Series A-1 Preferred Stock (the “Series A-1 Preferred Stock”) at a price of $10 per share to the PROOF.vc SPV and the Sponsor. On September 1, 2023 and October 25, 2023, the PROOF.vc SPV purchased an additional 205,000 shares and 180,000 shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock, respectively, at a purchase price of $10 per share on the same terms as the issuance of the $10,000,000 of Series A-1 Preferred Stock. The registration statement for the Company’s Initial Public Offering (the “Registration Statement”) was declared effective on November 30, 2021. On December 3, 2021, the Company consummated the Initial Public Offering of 27,600,000 units (“Units” and, with respect to the ordinary shares included in the Units being offered, the “Public Shares”), generating gross proceeds of $276,000,000, which is described in Note 3. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company consummated the sale of 15,226,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement transaction to PROOF Acquisition Sponsor I, LLC (the “Sponsor”) and certain funds and accounts managed by subsidiaries of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”). Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering on December 3, 2021, an amount of $281,520,000 ($10.20 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement (as defined in Note 4) was placed in the Trust Account. The funds held in the Trust Account may be invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination or (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account, as described below. Transaction costs related to the IPO amounted to $15,623,739 consisting of $5,520,000 of underwriting fees, $9,660,000 of deferred underwriting fees payable (which was originally held in a Trust Account with Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company acting as trustee (the “Trust Account”)) and $443,739 of other offering costs. These costs were charged to additional paid-in capital upon completion of the Initial Public Offering. The deferred underwriting commission liability was reduced to $0 in 2022 as the underwriter resigned and withdrew its right to the deferred underwriting fees (see Note 6). The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of Private Placement Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. The Company must complete one or more initial Business Combinations with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account). The Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target business sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering, management agreed to place an amount equal to $10.20 per Unit sold in the Initial Public Offering, including proceeds of the Private Placement Warrants, located in the United States and invested only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by the Company meeting certain conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the funds held in the Trust Account, as described below. The Company will provide the holders of the outstanding Public Shares (the “Public Stockholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer in connection with the Business Combination. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company. The Public Stockholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account, plus any pro rata interest then in the Trust Account, net of taxes payable. There will be no redemption rights upon the completion of a Business Combination with respect to the Company’s warrants. All of the Public Shares contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such Public Shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation, if there is a stockholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Company’s Business Combination, and in connection with certain amendments to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”). In accordance with the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and its guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of a company require common stock subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the Public Shares were issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., public warrants), the initial carrying value of common stock classified as temporary equity was the allocated proceeds determined in accordance with ASC 470-20. The common stock is subject to ASC 480-10-S99. If it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, the Company has the option to either (i) accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or (ii) recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. The Company has elected to recognize the changes immediately. The re-measurement will be treated as an adjustment to adjust the temporary equity to the redemption amount. While redemptions cannot cause the Company’s net tangible assets to fall below $5,000,001, the Public Shares are redeemable and will be classified as such on the balance sheet until such date that a redemption event takes place. If the Company seeks stockholder approval of the Business Combination, the Company will proceed with a Business Combination if a majority of the outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination, or such other vote as required by law or stock exchange rule. If a stockholder vote is not required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements and the Company does not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, stockholder approval of the transaction is required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, or the Company decides to obtain stockholder approval for business or other reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If the Company seeks stockholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has agreed to vote its Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) and any Public Shares purchased during or after the Initial Public Offering in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each Public Stockholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares without voting, and if they do vote, irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company seeks stockholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Certificate of Incorporation will provide that a Public Stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the Public Shares, without the prior consent of the Company. The holders of the Founder Shares have agreed (a) to waive their redemption r ights with respect to the Founder Shares (and Public Shares with respect to our Sponsor and officers and directors of the Company) held by them in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (b) not to propose an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemptions in connection with a Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Completion Window (as defined in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company) On May 19, 2023, the Company convened a Special Meeting. The shareholders of the Company approved proposals to amend the Certificate of Incorporation (the “Extension Amendment Proposal”) and to amend the Trust Agreement (the “Trust Agreement Amendment Proposal”) to extend the date by which the Company must consummate a Business Combination from June 3, 2023 to September 3, 2023 , or to October 3, November 3, or December 3, 2023, as applicable, if the Company deposits additional $160,000 in the Trust Account for each one-month extension of the end of the Completion Window In connection with the approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Trust Agreement Amendment Proposal, shareholders holding 21,156,902 shares of Class A Common Stock exercised their right to redeem such shares for a pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account. As a result, $220,995,813 was withdrawn from the Trust Account to pay such redeeming holders. In connection with approval of the Extension Amendment Proposal and the Trust Agreement Amendment Proposal, the Company deposited $480,000 in the Trust Account in connection with the exercise of the first three-month extension of the end of the Completion Window to September 3, 2023. Additionally, subsequent to September 30, 2023, the Company deposited an aggregate of $480,000 in the Trust Account in connection with the exercise of the three one-month extensions of the end of the Completion Window to December 3, 2023. In connection with the redemption, the Company recorded excise tax of approximately $2.2 million. To the extent the Company issues shares during the year ended December 31, 2023, including in connection with a business combination, it likely will reduce the excise tax liability. If the Company has not completed a Business Combination within 21 months (or up to 24 months, if applicable) from the closing of the Initial Public Offering ten within the Completion Window The holders of the Founders Shares have agreed to waive their liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Completion Window Completion Window In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (i) $10.00 per Public Share following the closing of this offering, or (ii) such lesser amount per Public Share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.00, due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriter of the Initial Public Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Moreover, in the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, the Sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims. The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers (except for the Company’s independent registered accounting firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account. Liquidity and Capital Resources As of September 30, 2023, the Company had $489,590 in its operating bank account and a working capital deficit of approximately $4.9 million. The Company’s liquidity needs up to September 30, 2023 had been satisfied through a payment of $25,000 from the Sponsor to cover certain expenses on behalf of the Company in exchange for the issuance of the Founder Shares, the loan under the promissory note from the Sponsor of approximately $110,000 (the “Note”) (see Note 5) to the Company, and the net proceeds from the consummation of the Private Placement not held in the Trust Account. The Note from the Sponsor was repaid in full on December 6, 2021. In c onnection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” the Company has until December 3, 2023, Risks and Uncertainties Management is currently evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations, or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Additionally, as a result of the military action commenced in February 2022 by the Russian Federation and Belarus in the country of Ukraine and related economic sanctions, the Company’s ability to consummate a Business Combination, or the operations of a target business with which the Company ultimately consummates a Business Combination, may be materially and adversely affected. In addition, the Company’s ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be impacted by these events, including as a result of increased market volatility, or decreased market liquidity in third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to the Company or at all. The impact of this action and related sanctions on the world economy and the specific impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or ability to consummate a Business Combination are not yet determinable. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. |