Basle, SWITZERLAND-based Jet Aviation will begin operating its new Corpavia Club shared-aircraft scheme at the beginning of 1996, using two Beechjet 400As: it has options on a further ten.
Corpavia Club members do not buy shares in aircraft: each pays a joining fee, an annual subscription and a fly-by-the-hour charge. Each member is entitled to 150h flying a year, with additional hours available at a slightly higher rate.
"It's more like a flying club," says Jet Aviation's vice-president for business jets, Theo Staub. He says that the scheme is better tailored to European operators, which have lower utilisation. "Below 150h per year, people tend to use air taxis, whereas for much more than that it is cheaper to own your aircraft".
The Beechjet options will be taken up "...only if it makes business sense", says Staub. "We do not expect to see 12 Beechjet 400s in service by the end of 1996," he adds. The first two aircraft will be based in Geneva, and will operate within an hour's flying time of the city, to reduce the cost of ferrying them back to base. "If the business grows, we'll put two or more somewhere else," says Staub.
Corpavia Club membership pays off, says Staub, "...at the point where you are considering sending four or five businessmen on a business-class trip. They also don't have to stay the night in a hotel."
Jet Aviation will be responsible for operation and management, providing flight crews, training, flight planning and maintenance.
Source: Flight International
