Rizon Jet has become the latest Middle Eastern operator to take on an Airbus Corporate Jetliner, under a management contract with the aircraft's Gulf-based owner.
The ACJ will be delivered next year, with the completed aircraft going into service in 2012. The interior, designed by Andrew Winch Design, will be installed by AMAC Aerospace in Basle, Switzerland.
It comes as Rizon Jet celebrates at MEBA being the first Middle Eastern operator with fixed-base operations in Europe and the Gulf.
The privately owned Qatari start-up opened its 130,000m2 (1.4 million ft2) facility at London's Biggin Hill business aviation airport in September, initially offering maintenance and aircraft handling. A VIP terminal will begin accepting passengers in April. The FBO will mirror a similar operation at Doha's international airport, which opens officially in January, says chief executive Patrick Enz.
Rizon was founded in 2006 and was originally based in Bahrain. It offers aircraft management and charter as well as European Part 145 and Qatari-accredited maintenance on a number of types, including larger Bombardier Challengers, Cessna Citations and most Hawkers. From 2011 it will add Bombardier Globals and Learjets.
Its managed charter fleet comprises two Challenger 605s and a Hawker 900XP and it is also a minority shareholder in Biggin Hill-based Oryx Jet, which operates a Hawker 900 and a Beechcraft Premier IA.
Source: Flight Daily News
