Japan's Global Wings is poised to take delivery this week of its first business jet, a new Bombardier Learjet 45XR, and plans to launch VIP charter services in the second half of January.
Global Wings chief executive Tak Masamura says the aircraft is scheduled to fly on 8 December from North America to China, where it will be based. Industry sources say Air China will operate the Learjet 45XR on behalf of Global Wings. It is the first Learjet to be registered in China and will be offered for domestic flights in China by the Hong Kong office of Bombardier Flexjet.
Masamura says Global Wings will rely on Flexjet outside Japan and South Korea. In Japan it has hired 14 people to staff offices in Kobe and Tokyo and in Seoul it has a partner selling charters to potential South Korean customers seeking to fly to China. Demonstration flights are planned for China, Japan and South Korea in January and February.
Global Wings ordered two Learjet 45XRs early this year. A delivery date for the second aircraft has not yet been specified, but Masamura says Global Wings aims to operate this aircraft on its own, starting in late 2005 or early 2006. In July, Global Wings began the process of applying for a Japanese air operator's certificate (AOC) and preparations to set up an operating base at the new Kobe airport when it opens in the second quarter of 2006 (Flight International, 20-26 July).
Masamura said last week that the AOC should be secured by the end of 2005 and Global Wings is considering initially basing the aircraft at another airport before Kobe opens. Possibilities include Komaki near Nagoya and Osaka Kansai.
Komaki is trying to position itself as a business jet hub ahead of the opening of a new airport near Nagoya early next year. But Kobe, the new Nagoya airport, Osaka Kansai and others have also recently launched campaigns to attract business jet traffic.
Airport access issues, high handling costs, expensive landing fees and regulatory barriers have until now impeded the launch of business jet charter operations in Japan. But conditions are expected to gradually improve and industry sources say other Japanese companies are preparing to launch business jet charter operations as early as next year.
BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
