A US COMPANY has launched a fractional-ownership programme offering part shares in the single-turboprop Pilatus PC-12.
Massachusetts-based Alpha Flying has ordered five PC-12s for delivery by the end of 1996, and the fractional-ownership company has received its first aircraft, which is being used by Pilatus as a demonstrator.
Alpha's PlaneSense programme is modeled on Executive Jet Aviation's successful NetJets shared-ownership scheme, but is targeted at short-range operations of 370-1,110km (200-600nm). The six-passenger PC-12s will be based in the Boston-New York corridor initially, says President George Antoniadas.
Quarter shares in the PC-12 will cost $650,000 and will guarantee part-owners 175h a year, with a 6h response time, for a monthly management fee of $4,700 and a cost per occupied hour of $5.10.
Alpha plans to sell shares in all five PC-12s on order but will take delivery of the aircraft regardless of whether they are fully sold, says Antoniadas.
Pilatus says that it has sold 57 PC-12s, 70% of them in the USA. The Swiss manufacturer will have delivered 32 aircraft by the end of 1995.
Production of the aircraft is running at three a month, the company says.
Source: Flight International
