Aircraft

VistaJet claims to be the fastest-growing private jet company. It took delivery of another three aircraft last week, including its first Challenger 605, and next week it is set to receive the 200th manufactured Bombardier Challenger 300.

Eric Weisskopf VistaJet’s vice president commercial operations says: “The Challenger 300s and 605s are ideal with their steep approach capability. We are targeting that area of the market.”

And with the recent completion of the SkyJet deal he adds: “SkyJet and VistaJet is a good marriage; the two are complementing each other. SkyJet has its great card programmes and VistaJet has always been strong in the on-demand sector.”

Weisskopf says VistaJet is eyeing growth in Asia-Pacific. “It’s been exciting over the last ten days. We weren’t sure how well our business model would work in Asia, but it’s going really well.”

The company has recently signed up its first Chinese customer. “We got an aircraft to Kuala Lumpar and the next day it was flying,” says Weisskopf. “By the end of August we’ll have two more based there.”

Weisskopf is bullish that the current tight economic climate will actually generate more business for the company because its pricing structure is so transparent. He also believes that, as emerging markets are disconnected from the economic cycles, the future for the region is bright.

But is VistaJet able to attract the airline business class flyer? Bing Chen, VistaJet’s chief executive says: “Business class seats are relatively cheap, the cost of a business class seat is a nominal amount.”

Chen also claims that only 5% of its flights are ‘dead legs’, compared to what he says is the industry average of around 40%.
VistaJet expects to have a fleet of 94 aircraft by 2012.