Executive Airlines plans to expand at the double Executive Airlines ...

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
Execujet launches ‘new style’ fractional programme
as it expands capacity with U.K. base and fleet
Execujet plans to rapidly expand its
management fleet after gaining a U.K.
AOC and enhancing its London base.
Gerrit Basson, group md, says: “The
AOC and the opening of an exclusive
passenger lounge at London City at
the end of July represent our first two
major steps into the U.K. which is a
strategically important market for our
European operations.”
Headquartered in Zurich, Execujet
quickly established a managed fleet of
two aircraft, including a Falcon 900,
immediately after gaining its U.K.
AOC in February. “We are ratifying
management contracts for further
aircraft that will be available for third
party charter,” says Basson.
John Brutnell, who heads up
Execujet’s operations from London
City's Jet Centre, points out that the
lounge, although accessed from the
centre, will have its own airside
access. In addition to the lounge,
Execujet is opening a U.K. sales office
in nearby Canary Wharf, executive
director group sales Andrew Hoy and
executive sales director Troy Forsyth
will be based.
The U.K. expansion comes as
Execujet launches a Simply Fly
programme targeted at what it
believes is a growing demand in
emerging markets outside the U.K.
and the large number of fractional
owners that wish to upgrade. Simply
Fly, says Execujet ceo Niall Olver,
acquires, operates and ultimately
disposes of aircraft, providing fixed
operating costs for the owner, who,
unlike in a fractional programme, own
the aircraft itself.
By adding the finance of the
aircraft to other aircraft management
packages already on offer, and by
flying the aircraft to commercial
standards on Execujet's own AOCs,
the company claims that it has
considerably simplified the process of
owning an aircraft.
Ocean Sky thinks big as it
implements plans for 20-strong
fleet by end of 2009
Continued from page 1
acquisitions of assets such as
aircraft and facilities. We know this
will stand us in very good stead if
leaner times are ahead.”
Ocean Sky believes the VLJ
market in Europe will be buoyant
but has decided not to join
operators acquiring the likes of
Phenoms and Mustangs. However,
its offering of three Learjet 45s, a
Learjet 60 and a CJ3 will be added to,
albeit at a slower pace in keeping
with its “think big” strategy.”
The company, which has
quadrupled its FBO facilities at
Prestwick in Scotland, has
completed its “own branding” of its
Manchester FBO acquisition and its
integrated maintenance and
hangarage facilities, and is now
turning serious attention to Europe.
Tehranchian says: “We have
offices in Moscow, Munich and
Zurich and offer private jet charter,
management, sales, acquisitions,
handling and maintenance at the
former Northern Executive Aviation
(NEA) site. Manchester is an
important step in building a chain
of well-respected FBOs. But to fulfill
our ambition of being a fully
integrated aviation company we
need a strong and strategic
continental European FBO
presence. We are not yet ready to
make any further acquisition
announcements but I can confirm
we are assessing the merits of
certain airport locations in detail.”
Niall Olver ceo of Execujet Aviation Group with Gerrit Basson, group md Execujet and Andrew Hoy, executive director group sales,
explain the new Simply Fly fractional programme at its London launch .
Two types of finance will be
available. One is an embedded
operating lease, which, for most
countries, offers off balance sheet
financing, with no residual payment
at the end of a typical five year
contract. The other is an embedded
long term finance lease, which has a
higher deposit and the option to
acquire the aircraft outright at the end
of the term. Financing is being offered
through Execujet's sister company
QED Equity.
Olver told the product launch in
London that Simply Fly is being
targeted as a premium product, with a
cost base calculated on 600 hours per
annum usage. Customer can opt to
have the aircraft chartered through
Execujet's charter division to offset
the operating costs and Execujet will
also provide up to 100 hours of
alternative lift for scheduled
maintenance downtime.
The aircraft will be insured, crewed
maintained and operated by Execujet,
based where the customer wants and
the initial fleet will be wide bodied,
drawing on Execujet’s sales agencies
in 37 countries with Bombardier. Two
pre-owned Challenger 604s will be
acquired to commence operations,
which is currently scheduled for
September 2008. Global Express,
Highland Airways turns to
Jetstream 41s for blue chips
Highland Airways has ordered two
Jetstream 41s to facilitate rising
demand for corporate and ad hoc
charter services. The aircraft
will replace two leased smaller
Jetstream 31s and will represent a
significant upgrade in the company
offering and result in a corporate
fleet of 12 aircraft.
A 12-month contract is lined up
for one aircraft to provide a corporate
shuttle linking Scotland and the
English south west. “The other will
initially be used for ad hoc work,
although some existing customers
will no doubt re-examine the
aircraft’s virtues in the light of their
evolving needs,” says Basil O’Fee,
commercial director at Highland
Airways. “In the last few years we’ve
seen significant growth in our
corporate shuttle and charter
business. We provide services for a
number of blue chip clients as well as
the oil industry.”
He adds: “The J41s provide an
incremental enhancement to our
current offering and we are confident
there is enough demand to keep
them both in the air. We also know
the aircraft type well, as we maintain
J41s on behalf of other operators, and
we have long experience of its
smaller sister – the J31.”
Headquartered in Inverness,
Highland Airways has bases in
Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Lancashire,
Cardiff and in the Western Isles.
O’Fee says the company enjoys a
Basil O’Fee: Blue chip clients.
diverse customer base, including the
Royal Mail and Scottish Daily
Newspaper Society, delivering post
and newspapers to the Western Isles.
It also operates three public service
obligation routes in Wales and
Scotland and provides aerial
reconnaissance for the Scottish
Fisheries Protection Agency.
Highland Airways is already
planning to order additional aircraft
in the near future. O’Fee says:
“Highland Airways is in a very
strong position and the business
continues to grow across a number
of sectors. As a specialist niche
aviation supplier we can satisfy
customers ranging from multinationals
to the public sector, and
have the flexibility to react speedily
to customer demands.” The aircraft
are scheduled to enter service in the
early summer.
Challenger XRS, 605 and 300 models
are set to populate a planned fleet of
ten new aircraft
A deposit of around six times the
monthly fee will be required, but from
that point, the costs are designed to be
transparent, the only potential
variables being for fuel, ‘excessive’
catering and additional aircraft costs.
Basson says: “Over the past year to
18 months we have seen that regular
fractional owners are starting to look
to the next level – the ability to call on
their own aircraft – but they do not
want the responsibility of full jet
ownership. We are addressing this gap
in the market.”
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APRIL 2008 3
AeroVision
plans Citation
purchases
France’s AeroVision is planning to
boost its Le Bourget charter fleet
with the addition of two Citation IIs
and an XLS in the coming months.
President Guillaume Collinot
says AeroVision is working hard
to firm up the delivery
dates. AeroVision is additionally
refurbishing a Beechcraft 200 to add
capacity and has upgraded its
website (www.aerovision.fr).
“We are also expanding our
maintenance work at our
Blagnac site so it 2008 is looking to
be an exceptional year for us,”
Collinot adds.
AeroVision’s proprietary
Imagin’air aerial filming system is
bringing in increased filming
business following high profile
commissions for the James Bond
film Tomorrow Never Dies and the
French film Les Chevaliers du Ciel.
Imagin'air enables filming in flight
while aboard an aircraft flying over
240 knots – a “speed barrier” for
traditional systems. The system is
also in demand for the work of
governmental agencies.
The current charter fleet includes
Corvettes, one used for filming,
three Citations, and a Super King
Air 200. The aircraft are also
operated for charter, air ambulance
and medevac.
Imagin'air enables filming in flight while
aboard an aircraft flying over 240 knots.
AeroVision, says its Part 145
integrated maintenance facility
enables it to offer clients a full
management package. Launched in
1994, AeroVision reports that good
steady growth in charter business is
being driven by business
acquisitions, an increasing client
base and corporate contracts.