UK air taxi start-up Ambeo has received its aircraft operator's certificate from the UK Civil Aviation Authority and is set to begin commercial operations with its Cessna Citation Mustang before the end of January.
The Cambridge airport-based operator says it has received overwhelming demand for the aircraft to date and is planning to boost its fleet to five very light jets before the end of the year. "This will be a mixture of Mustangs and Embraer Phenom 100s," says Ambeo executive director Andy Black. "They will also be a mix of managed and owned aircraft."
Black says although the economy remains volatile, confidence is starting to return to the business aviation sector. The timing of Ambeo's commercial launch could be fortuitous for the company, he believes. "There are tough challenges ahead but we have launched a good-value product at a time when the industry is poised for recovery," says Black.
Ambeo's vision is for a Europe-wide operation with up to 30 VLJs. "However, our first goal is to get though 2010 having made a profit and built the foundations for future growth," says Black.
Source: Flight International
