Chauffair, the UK-based executive jet charter company, has announced a firm order for seven new Citation Excels, a deal worth US$65 million. According to Chauffair, this is the biggest single order of private jets ever seen in the UK. The first Excel will be delivered early in 2001. Chauffair intends to phase out the light jets in its fleet (Lear 35/ Citation II/V) and the Hawker 700 during 2001, with the seventh Excel being delivered by the end of that year. The company's fleet will increase from seven to 10 jets. The seven Excels will be the first to be delivered to the UK. \rThe new Excels will support Chauffair's new fractional leasing scheme, "ChauffAir Share," which became operational and available from October 21. In exchange for buying a minimum of 50 occupied flying hours per year, Chauffair will guarantee customers the use of existing and future aircraft within their European zone, which extends from Ireland and Portugal in the west to Poland and Hungary in the east. Chauffair also expects to provide aircraft for journeys outside of this area when given longer notice.\r"Private jets have always had an exotic image, with a reputation for corporate excess and eye-watering expense, the preserve of oil sheiks and film stars," said Nick Probett, owner and managing director of Chauffair. "The efficiency, practicality and economy of ChauffAir Share will change that image and expand their use."\rCustomers in the new scheme will pay an initial monthly fee of about £5,000. This will be increased, however, by over £400 a month as each new Excel joins the fleet. Increases will commence on the first of each month following the entry into service of each new aircraft, until the monthly fee has reached about £8,000, giving guaranteed access to 10 Citation Excel/Hawker 800 aeroplanes. Customers will also be charged a fixed hourly rate of £1,460. \rThe fractional leasing scheme's monthly rate works out at about £1,200 per hour, based on the maximum 50 hours per year utilisation, at the outset of the scheme. This figure will rise to £1,900 per hour when all seven Excels have been introduced. By adding the monthly charge to the hourly charge, the total hourly cost of the scheme starts at £2,660 and rises to £3,360. This compares unfavourably with Chauffair's charter rates, at around £1,600 per occupied hour, plus £350 per landing and £700 for a night stop.\r"The usefulness of the service would depend very much on how it was used," Probett said. "I am the first to accept that certain clients would be better off remaining ad-hoc, and I shall be delighted to continue to look after them on that basis. It depends on the kind of flying they do. ChauffAir Share is particularly advantageous for one-way trips, for example. I feel that a lot more one way flying would be done if it could be more efficient."\rSources within the charter aviation broking industry suggest that relatively few business flights are one way. But Probett is quick to point out that around half of Chauffair's customers do not come through a broker, and he believes that there is a market for more cost-effective one- way flights, based on his experience.\rChauffair claims that its scheme will be up to 15 per cent cheaper for the customer than fractional ownership, will require less commitment and will relieve members of the uncertainty of depreciation risk, as it does not demand a fractional investment. In order to join the ChauffAir Share scheme, a deposit of $100,000 is required upon contract signing. According to the company, this is to ensure that only "serious" customers sign up for the service. Stepped increases, to $150,000, will be made as the new Excels are delivered.