Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON
A EUROPEAN-BASED business-aircraft fractional-ownership programme has been launched by Montvale, New Jersey-based Executive Jet Aviation (EJA), the US pioneer of the "NetJets" scheme.
The programme marks the second stage of the company's Global NetJets plan, with opportunities in China and South America also being examined.
Dubbed "NetJets Europe", the programme also involves Zimex Aviation of Switzerland and Portugal's Air Luxor as equity partners (Flight International, 3-10 April). The Swiss concern will market the programme within Europe, while Air Luxor is to be responsible for flight management, scheduling and customer service.
NetJets Europe has been launched with a core fleet of three Cessna Citation S/IIs, crewed by pilots from the US programme and newly recruited Europeans. The S/II fleet, consisting of used aircraft from the US programme, will be increased when necessary, and the partners are confident that EJA's mid-sized aircraft, the Raytheon Hawker 1000, will be introduced in Europe within two years.
The programme is aimed at operators anticipating a minimum annual utilisation of 75h. According to EJA, typically a one-eighth/75h annual utilisation share in a Citation S/II is offered to a European client for a basic acquisition cost of $330,000.
In addition, clients will be subject (typically) to a monthly management fee, of $9,750 and a charge of around $1,950 per occupied flight hour. The scheme is offered within 30 European countries.
A European client with a one-eighth share, will be guaranteed an aircraft, within 10h of the request and this reduces to 6h for customers with a one-quarter share. Comparative guarantees in the USA are 8h and 4h, respectively, the difference reflecting the more congested airspace and slot requirements within Europe.
The US and European programmes are interchangeable, allowing a US client to book an aircraft in Europe, and vice versa.
EJA, which has a fleet of more than 75 aircraft - including Cessna Citations, Hawker 1000s and Gulfstream IV-SPs - has reiterated that it expects to finalise an order for up to 50 more business aircraft in the next six months.
The Citation Excel is rumoured to be the leading contender for the order, while the conversion of EJA's 25 Citation V Ultra options is also considered to be likely.
Source: Flight International
