Flight Daily News

The booming business jet market has resulted in a 500% growth for TAG Aviation (Chalet K5), says managing director Graham Williamson. And he is bullish about the future.

“Business jet charter is very robust, although it has slowed down in the last three years, and the whole industry has seen that. But that’s not our principal business,” he says. Williamson explains that out of the 76 aircraft that TAG operates, only four are actually owned by TAG.

The fleet is broken down by its three AOCs, and at present there are 26 aircraft on its Swiss certificate, with 15 on the Spanish register and 35 being managed out of the UK. “We’re pretty fireproof and can absorb a decline in the charter business,” he says.

Williamson believes the long lead time in deliveries of new aircraft will mean that that the knock-on effects of the credit crunch are not going to affect TAG’s aircraft management business until a few years down the line.

“Over the next few months we could be managing up to 80 or even 90 aircraft. We spend a lot of time renewing the fleet with new clients. And it is certainly not slowing down. If anything, we still have as many enquiries now,” he says.

“TAG Aviation UK was the fastest growing AOC of all time and we combined that with multiple types in multiple locations. We are a one-stop shop for aircraft owners,” he says.

Group-wide the fleet of 76 aircraft currently flies around 17,000h on charter and the company also provides training at Farnborough airport. “We now provide 22 third parties with training and have EASA 145 approved maintenance facilities in Farnborough and Geneva,” says Williamson.