Bahrain Executive Air Service (Bexair) has been awarded a contract from Vodafone to manage its new Embraer Legacy 600 business jet. The aircraft, which will not be available for public charter, will be used to transport Vodafone employees in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Bexair operates a fleet of nine business jets, including another Legacy 600 and three Bombardier Challenger 604s. Talks are under way with Bombardier to acquire two Challenger 605s.
Learjet delivery
Barbedos Group has become the first Nigerian customer for the Bombardier Learjet 45XR following delivery of the super-light business jet earlier this month. The Kaduna-based company will use the aircraft for executive transport and medical evacuation operations, and says it plans to add further Learjet types to its fleet. Barbedos says it is also planning to establish a fixed-base operation. Meanwhile, Bombardier has inaugurated its extended service centre at Dallas Love Field airport. The facility has 9,290m2 (100,000ft2) of extra space including a 4,800m2 hangar, and increases maintenance capacity in Dallas by over 60%.
Pilatus delivery
Into (University Partnerships) of the UK has taken delivery of a nine-seat Pilatus PC-12 single-engined turboprop. It will be used for corporate transport and operated by Norwich-based Skydrift Air Charter.
LEA expansion
UK charter and management company London Executive Aviation (LEA) has added a second Embraer Legacy to its fleet. The 13-seat aircraft joins LEA's Cessna Citation Bravo, Excel and Bombardier Challenger 300 and will be based at London Luton airport. LEA says it is "in negotiations to introduce further Legacies". The Stapleford, UK-based company is also to take delivery of the of the first of seven Cessna Mustang entry-level jets in December.
Source: Flight International