NetJets Europe is to add four Dassault Falcon 50s to its core fleet as the fractional adapts its operation to meet the needs of European customers. The move is a response to customer calls for large-cabin aircraft able to operate in and out of short runway airports, the company says.
Dassault Falcon Jet will deliver the aircraft by September after completion in the USA. Use of the aircraft will be interchangeable with shares in Cessna Citation Excels and Hawker 800XPs, says Mark Booth, chief executive and managing director of NetJets Europe.
NetJets senior vice-president, marketing, Kevin Russell, says that an order for at least 10 new Falcon 50EXs is likely to follow for the global NetJets fleet. NetJets will add 12 more aircraft to its European fleet by the end of the year, likely to be five Falcon 2000s and three each of the smaller Citation Excels and Citation Bravos. This will take the company's European fleet to 44 aircraft.
A Gulfstream V is likely to be based in Europe next year, possibly followed in 2004 by a Boeing Business Jet, to cater for the "big appetite" for transatlantic flights, says Booth. NetJets has invested $1.6 billion in aircraft for its European arm and Booth says that although it will take a minimum of two more years to break even, the operation has a headstart on other fractionals on the continent.
Booth says that as Bombardier Flexjet has "retreated to being a block charter company", NetJets will be the only operator with sufficient assets to attract European customers within three years.
Booth estimates that by 2005 the programme will have 1,000 owners, up from today's 150.
NetJets Europe logged its first 100-movement day last month.
Source: Flight International
