German business aircraft charter and management company FAI Rent-a-Jet has posted record profits for 2014, thanks largely to an increase in global demand for its air ambulance service.
Revenues for the Nuremberg-based company climbed by 10% from the previous year to €73.5 million ($81.4 million), while profits before taxes jumped by 30% to €8.1 million during the same timeframe.
The 21-strong, all-Bombardier business jet fleet – which consists of three Global Expresses, four Challenger 604s, seven Learjet 60/60XRs, four Learjet 55s, a Learjet 40XR and one Learjet 35A – logged more than 12,700h of flight time during 2014, 10% up on the previous year.
“The increased utilisation was generated by a 13% rise in demand for [our] specialised air ambulance fleet,” says FAI, adding that "this is driven to some extent by the health crisis in West Africa" and a 40% rise in its service provision to an undisclosed non-governmental organisation with which it has been working for over 11 years.
One of the highlights of 2014 for FAI was the opening of a new 6,000m2 (65,000ft2) hangar in Nuremberg to support its growing maintenance, repair and overhaul business, FAI Technik.
This year FAI plans to upgrade its Learjet fleet, replacing its 35A and most of its 55s with the more recent midsize Learjet 60.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
