Kate Sarsfield/LONDON
The first European shared ownership programme operating single-engined Pilatus PC-12 turboprops has started up in Zurich, Switzerland.
Share Plane, which operates under private Swiss civil aviation authority regulations, is aimed at three "key" market segments within Switzerland, southern Germany, northern Italy and western Austria, which have had little or no access to business aviation.
"We are targeting mid-size and larger companies that do business in parts of Europe that receive insufficient service from scheduled airlines," says Share Plane chief executive Mike van Berkel - "smaller companies with highly specialised services or products that depend on extensive travel to stay competitive, and wealthy individuals who want to use their own aircraft ae also possibilities."
Share Plane is based on a leasing, rather than a fractional ownership, concept, with customers buying flying time instead of a share in an aircraft, over five years. "Customers pay an initial fee of $250,000, which covers the PC-12's depreciation costs over five years, after which time you can simply hand back the keys," says van Berkel.
Aircraft flying time is divided into quarter shares entitling the user to 125h a year. A SFr13,500 ($8,900) monthly management fee and a SFr900 per occupied flight hour charge are also applied. Aircraft delivery is guaranteed within 24h.
Aircraft management will be undertaken by Zurich Airport-based Avcon. Pilatus Aircraft will provide maintenance and servicing support.
Share Plane has sold shares in one seven-seat PC-12 and says it is signing up customers for the second. The company also offers two Piper Cheyennes as back-up aircraft. It plans to have five PC-12s in service within two years.
"If you want to target growth [in business aircraft use], you have to change people's perceptions of business aircraft travel at the lower end of the corporate spectrum," says van Burkel.
"Share Plane offers customers the entry level solution to fractional and aircraft ownership and it has a huge potential for growth in Europe," he adds.
Source: Flight International
